SpaceX launches Starship V3 on first test flight

SpaceX is preparing to conduct the 12th test flight of its Starship rocket, with the new V3 (third generation) version scheduled to launch from the company's Starbase facility in Boca Chica, Texas, on Thursday, May 21, 2026. The launch window opens at 00:30 on Friday, May 22 (Spanish time), with the company stating that the live stream will begin approximately 45 minutes before liftoff. This mission marks the first flight of the advanced V3 configuration, which has been redesigned with significant improvements aimed at enabling rapid and complete reuse of the vehicle. The primary objectives of this test flight include demonstrating the vehicle's launch, ascent, stage separation, boostback maneuver, and landing in the Gulf of Mexico approximately seven minutes after liftoff. Unlike previous missions, the Super Heavy booster will not attempt to return to the launch site on this inaugural V3 flight. The upper stage of Starship will conduct experiments in space and during reentry, including deploying 20 Starlink satellite simulators and two specially modified satellites designed to capture images of the vehicle's heat shield. Some heat shield tiles have been painted white to simulate damage and help operators assess their condition for future landing attempts at the launch site. Starship is central to NASA's Artemis program, which aims to return astronauts to the Moon by 2027 under a $3 billion contract awarded to SpaceX. The company noted that this test represents a critical milestone after a period of development stagnation, with the V3 version specifically designed for future long-duration missions to the Moon and Mars. The flight will also include a Raptor engine relight in space, tests of the vehicle's rear flap structural limits, and dynamic tilting maneuvers to simulate trajectories for future return missions. SpaceX has warned that, as with all development tests, the schedule remains subject to change.