SpaceX Starship Flight 12: Don't miss these stunning photos from the launch of the most powerful Starship yet
Space • • business
Key Points:
- SpaceX successfully launched its newest Starship V3 on May 22 from its South Texas Starbase, marking the 12th flight of the Starship program with significant upgrades to the vehicle.
- The 408-foot tall Starship featured enhancements such as a new fuel transfer tube, a faster PEZ deployment system, a more powerful Raptor engine configuration, three grid fins instead of four, and a reusable hot stage ring.
- Both the Super Heavy booster and the Ship upper stage completed the mission with fiery splashdowns after a suborbital flight, demonstrating key aspects of the vehicle’s performance.
- SpaceX aims to secure NASA’s approval for Starship as part of the Artemis program, competing with Blue Origin to land astronauts on the Moon by Artemis 4, targeted for as early as late 2028.
- Before lunar missions, Starship must prove its capabilities in Earth orbit, including fuel transfer and astronaut life-support systems, while NASA is considering a revised Artemis 3 mission that may involve either SpaceX’s Starship or Blue Origin’s Blue Moon lander.