Overview
- SpaceX, which announced the plan Tuesday, May 12, is targeting Tuesday, May 19 at 6:30 p.m. ET for Flight 12, the first Starship V3 launch from Starbase’s new Pad 2.
- Because so many systems are new, the company will skip tower catches, with Booster 19 aiming for a controlled splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico and Ship 39 targeting the Indian Ocean.
- The upper stage will deploy 22 Starlink simulators, with two units scanning the heat shield, and one tile has been removed to measure aerodynamic loads during reentry.
- Version 3 features Raptor 3 engines with higher thrust and lower mass, a redesigned integrated hot‑staging setup, and three larger grid fins, along with pad upgrades that enable faster fueling.
- NASA officials say propellant transfer in orbit is a critical next milestone for Artemis lunar landings, which will require multiple Starship flights in quick succession once V3 is proven.