SpaceX to Launch Upgraded Starship for 12th Test Flight
SpaceX is set to launch its 12th Starship test flight on Thursday from Texas, featuring version 3 with upgraded propulsion systems and Raptor engines aimed at improving reusability and lunar/Mars capabilities. The suborbital test follows October’s successful launch and could pave the way for orbital flights, with Starship targeting NASA’s Artemis 4 mission in 2028 as a lunar lander.
SpaceX will conduct its 12th Starship test flight on Thursday, launching version 3 (V3) of the rocket from the southern tip of Texas. This latest iteration includes significant upgrades, such as redesigned propulsion systems and the new V3 Raptor engine, designed to enhance full and rapid reusability, in-space propellant transfer, Starlink satellite deployment, and lunar/Mars missions. The 400-foot-tall Starship is the largest and most powerful rocket ever built, intended to transport astronauts and cargo for NASA’s Artemis program. If Thursday’s suborbital test succeeds, the next flight could attempt an orbital trajectory. The previous test in October achieved a successful launch and space skimming before descending into the Indian Ocean. Starship is slated to serve as NASA’s lunar lander for the Artemis 4 mission in 2028, ferrying astronauts from lunar orbit to the Moon’s surface near the South Pole. The rocket will launch separately from the crew capsule, docking in orbit before descent. SpaceX describes Starship as a fully reusable system capable of carrying up to 100 people on interplanetary flights. The launch window opens at 6:30 p.m. local time, with SpaceX broadcasting the event live. Thursday’s test marks a critical step toward operational lunar and Mars missions, aligning with NASA’s long-term goals for sustainable Moon exploration and eventual crewed Mars expeditions.
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