SpaceX Starship Flight 12 launch updates: 1st Starship V3 stacked ahead of May 21 liftoff
Space • • business
Key Points:
- SpaceX has stacked its Super Heavy Booster 19 and Starship upper stage Ship 39 at Pad 2 in Starbase, Texas, preparing for the Starship Version 3 (V3) test launch, now scheduled for May 21 after multiple delays.
- A wet dress rehearsal (WDR) is planned for May 20 to simulate countdown and fueling without engine ignition, serving as the final major test before liftoff during a 90-minute launch window starting at 6:30 p.m. EDT.
- Starship Flight 12 will send the Starship upper stage on a suborbital flight around part of the world, with the booster and upper stage performing controlled splashdowns in the Gulf of Mexico and Indian Ocean, respectively.
- This flight marks the debut of Starship V3, which includes significant upgrades aimed at qualifying the vehicle for NASA's Artemis lunar missions, Starlink satellite deployments, and future orbital data center launches.
- Road closures around Starbase from May 19 through May 21 indicate preparations for the launch window, with SpaceX's livestream expected to begin about 45 minutes before liftoff.