SpaceX launched the upgraded Starship V3 for the first time, testing new hardware and a new launchpad, but the Super Heavy booster failed to relight and tumbled into the water while the upper Starship deployed its payload before a planned ocean re-entry ended in an expected explosion. The flight validated many new systems, including third‑generation Raptor engines and payload release, even as some recovery goals were missed.
Launch and sequence
The 407‑foot Starship lifted off from Starbase, Texas, and the stack separated a few minutes into flight.
The booster pitched away and attempted a return to the Gulf of Mexico, while the upper ship continued into space.
Booster failure
The Super Heavy booster’s engines did not properly re‑ignite for the sustained burn intended to return it to the launch site.
The booster tumbled into the water and likely exploded on impact.
Ship performance and payload
The Starship upper stage lost one of six Raptor engines during ascent but proceeded to deploy all 20 Starlink satellite simulators and two modified Starlink satellites intended to record external footage.
About an hour after liftoff, Starship simulated a landing in the Indian Ocean, tipped over, and exploded as planned for an uncrewed test.
Hardware and infrastructure tested
This flight was the first full trial of Starship V3 hardware and a newly built launchpad at Starbase, both under development for months.
Starship V3 includes third‑generation Raptor engines, designed for higher thrust and simpler construction, and a booster meant for faster ascents and easier recovery.
Context and timing
The launch follows an earlier testing explosion of an upgraded booster in November and a rehearsal delay caused by a launch tower hydraulic pin failure.
SpaceX made its IPO filing public this week and is expected to list on Nasdaq in mid‑June; the company intends the offering to raise roughly $75 billion to finance development, AI ambitions, and related debts.
Program goals
SpaceX has invested years and billions in Starship, which the company plans to use for lunar missions, Mars, and deploying advanced Starlink satellites; Starlink currently supplies the company’s main revenue.
The test provided flight data on propulsion, separation, payload deployment, and launchpad operations despite incomplete booster recovery.
Featured image credits: Wikimedia Commons
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