SpaceX scrubs launch of Starship V3—the tallest and most powerful rocket ever built
The launch, when it comes, will mark the 12th flight test of Starship and the first demonstration of its V3 design—a new attempt could come as soon as Friday
On Thursday, SpaceX postponed the launch of its Starship V3, a massive and groundbreaking rocket. This event was supposed to be the 12th trial of the Starship and the first showcasing its V3 model. SpaceX is considering another launch attempt as soon as Friday.
Joseph Gonzalez, an associate professor in aerospace engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and a former engineer for NASA’s Artemis program, emphasized the significance of the changes in this launch. He stated to Scientific American that “V3 is taller, exceeds 18 million pounds of total thrust and introduces the new Raptor 3 engines.”
In a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, SpaceX revealed it has invested approximately $3 billion in the past year on Starship, out of a total $15 billion spent on its development.
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The vehicle, combined with SpaceX’s Super Heavy booster, measures around 408 feet (124 meters) in height and can transport up to 100 metric tons of cargo to orbit while being fully reusable. However, this test will not include recovering the booster or rocket.
The test will not reach Earth’s orbit but aims to demonstrate Starship V3’s ability to launch successfully, separate from its booster, and splash down in the Indian Ocean. During the flight, the spacecraft is expected to release 20 dummy Starlink Internet satellites and two operational satellites designed to monitor the Starship’s heat shield and send images back to Earth.
The spacecraft will attempt a series of maneuvers, including a flip, as it reenters the atmosphere before landing in the Indian Ocean. Meanwhile, the booster will fall into the Gulf of Mexico.
A successful launch is crucial for SpaceX as the company plans to go public in the next month. A positive test outcome would likely boost investor interest in SpaceX and support NASA’s goal of using Starship to return astronauts to the moon by 2028. SpaceX also hopes Starship will be used to deploy its anticipated artificial intelligence data center satellites.
“Flights like this continue to push the aerospace industry forward and provide invaluable lessons for the next generation of engineers entering the field,” Gonzalez remarked before the test attempt.
Editor’s note (05/21/2026): This is a developing story and may be updated.
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