SpaceX Sets May 19 Launch Date for First Starship V3 Flight

SpaceX is finally ready to return Starship to the skies after a lengthy gap between launches, and this time the company is bringing an almost entirely redesigned rocket with it.

In a post on X, SpaceX confirmed Starship’s twelfth flight test is targeting launch as early as May 19 from Starbase in South Texas. The mission will mark the debut of the company’s next-generation Starship and Super Heavy vehicles, powered by upgraded Raptor 3 engines and launching from a newly constructed launch pad.

The launch window is scheduled to open at 6:30 p.m. ET (5:30 p.m. local Texas time).

Starship’s twelfth flight test will debut the next generation Starship and Super Heavy vehicles, powered by the next evolution of the Raptor engine and launching from a newly designed pad at Starbase. The launch is targeted as early as Tuesday, May 19 → https://t.co/2gZQUxS6mm pic.twitter.com/JxmpL2WE4w

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) May 12, 2026

Flight 12 is shaping up to be one of the most important Starship missions yet, not because it will hopefully reach orbit, but because it represents the first real-world test of SpaceX’s heavily redesigned “Version 3” architecture. The company says nearly every major component of the launch system has been updated using lessons learned from previous test flights.

Starship V3 introduces sweeping design changes

One of the most noticeable changes is on the Super Heavy booster. Instead of four grid fins, the new design uses three fins that are 50% larger and significantly stronger. SpaceX says the redesign improves control during descent and future catch operations while also reducing heat exposure during hot staging.

The booster’s internal systems have also seen major changes. SpaceX completely redesigned the massive fuel transfer tube feeding the 33 Raptor engines, enabling all engines to ignite simultaneously and improving flip maneuvers during descent. The aft thermal protection system has also been simplified, removing the large engine shrouds seen on previous versions.

Starship upper stage redesigned for future deep-space missions

The upper-stage Starship vehicle has undergone equally extensive revisions. SpaceX says the ship now features a complete redesign of its propulsion system, including larger propellant capacity, improved flight controls, and new hardware aimed at extended operations beyond Earth orbit.

The vehicle will also test hardware required for future in-space refueling operations, a key step toward lunar and Mars exploration. Four docking drogues and ship-to-ship propellant transfer connections have now been added to Starship V3.

Raptor 3 engines deliver more thrust and lower weight

Another major milestone for Flight 12 will be the debut of Raptor 3. The upgraded engines now produce substantially more thrust, with sea-level Raptors increasing from 230 tf to 250 tf, while vacuum variants climb to 275 tf. Despite the added performance, SpaceX also managed to reduce engine mass through simplified systems and redesigned components.

Flight 12 will test satellite deployment and heat shield durability

The mission itself will include several ambitious test objectives. Starship will deploy 22 Starlink simulators, relight a Raptor engine in space, and deliberately push parts of the heat shield and flap systems to their limits to gather data for future reusable missions.

Unlike previous launches, the Super Heavy booster will not attempt a return-to-launch-site catch. Instead, it will perform a controlled splashdown in the Gulf of America following stage separation.

The launch will also be the first from Starbase’s new Pad 2, which features upgraded fueling systems, redesigned chopsticks, and a new flame diverter system intended to speed up launch turnaround times.