Starship V3 maiden flight

On 22 May 2026, SpaceX launched Starship Version 3 for the first time from Starbase, Texas — the vehicle's 12th integrated test flight and the debut of the most powerful Starship variant yet. V3 stands about 124 metres tall and is engineered to carry more than 100 tonnes to low Earth orbit, roughly triple the ~35-tonne capability of V2.

The upgraded Super Heavy booster flew with three larger grid fins instead of four, part of a wide set of structural and propulsion changes aimed at reliability and reuse. Although V3 suffered some engine glitches and the booster did not complete its planned soft splashdown, SpaceX characterized the suborbital flight as a success and a key data-gathering step.

V3 is the configuration SpaceX intends to fly operationally — for Starlink deployment, in-orbit propellant transfer, and ultimately the Artemis lunar lander and Mars missions.