Overview
- SpaceX's 12th Starship test, slated for Thursday from Starbase in South Texas, will debut the V3 spacecraft and its overhauled Super Heavy booster.
- The first stage packs 33 Raptor 3 engines that the company rates at about 280 tonnes of thrust each, a total the firm says would top the power of Saturn V.
- Starship adds larger propellant tanks, new orbital maneuvering engines, and cryogenic refueling ports to boost endurance to about 48 hours and lift up to 100 tonnes.
- The vehicle will release 22 Starlink mockups to test deployment and sensors, including units that image heat‑shield tiles after SpaceX painted some tiles to mimic failures.
- Recovery is off the table for this first outing, with the booster targeting a Gulf of Mexico splashdown and the ship headed for the Indian Ocean.