Tag: Starship
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Booster 20 into Cryogenic Testing ahead of Starship Flight 13
Starship Flight 12 may have only recently concluded, but SpaceX’s Starbase teams are already deep into preparations for the next integrated flight test. The latest milestone involves the rollout of Booster 20 (B20), the Super Heavy booster assigned to Flight 13, as it moved from Megabay 1 to Massey’s test site and has begun cryogenic…
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FAA Grounds Starship After Latest Test Flight Anomaly
What caused the FAA to ground SpaceX’s Starship program? The Federal Aviation Administration has halted all Starship operations following an undisclosed anomaly during SpaceX’s latest test flight, marking the second regulatory investigation of the 400-foot super heavy-lift vehicle this year. The grounding immediately suspends SpaceX’s ambitious launch cadence targeting 25 Starship flights in 2026, potentially…
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FAA requires SpaceX-led mishap investigation before resumption of Starship launches
A closeup shot of SpaceX’s Super Heavy booster, tail number Booster 19, during the initial moments of ascent on the Starship Flight 12 mission on May 22, 2026. Image: SpaceX FAA requires SpaceX-led mishap investigation before resumption of Starship launches The Federal Aviation Administration made the determination after analyzing the results of Starship Flight 12,…
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Following Starship V3 debut, SpaceX prepares for follow up
Starship Version 3 flew for the first time this week in a mission of several firsts, performing notably better than previous version debuts, demonstrating that the upgraded vehicle remains on track to become the workhorse Super Heavy Lift Launch vehicle for SpaceX. However, some issues require resolution before SpaceX returns to booster catches. Flight 12:…
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SpaceX’s Starship V3—still a work in progress—mostly successful on first flight
SpaceX launched the first test flight of its upgraded Starship rocket and Super Heavy booster Friday, with mostly positive results. The powerful rocket, propelled by 33 methane-fueled main engines, climbed away from SpaceX’s Starbase launch facility in South Texas at 5:30 pm CDT (6:30 pm EDT; 22:30 UTC) Friday. Within a few seconds, the 408-foot-tall…
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Musk praises “epic” Super Heavy-Starship launch
SpaceX’s first Starship Version 3 rocket takes off from Pad 2 at Starbase during the Flight 12 mission on May 22, 2026. Image: SpaceX SpaceX launched a revamped Super Heavy-Starship rocket Friday on an “epic” flight to test more powerful engines, enhanced control systems and a host of other upgrades needed to streamline operations and…
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Launch preview: SpaceX tries again for first launch of its Starship Version 3 rocket
SpaceX scrubbed the planned launch of its Starship-Super Heavy rocket on the Flight 12 mission on May 21, 2026. Image: Spaceflight Now Update May 21, 8:03 p.m. EDT (0003 UTC): SpaceX scrubbed the mission after dipping in and out of multiple holds at T-minus 40 seconds. SpaceX stood down from its first attempt to launch…
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Starship Flight 12: Block 3 Impresses on First Flight
On Friday, May 22, 2026, at 5:30:21 pm CDT, Starship Flight 12 lifted off from Pad 2 at Starbase, Texas. This stack, which comprised Ship 39 and Booster 19, was the first Block 3 stack to fly for the Starship Program. As well as launching from the completely redesigned Pad 2 at Starbase. This flight…
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Launch Preview: Falcon 9, Electron, and Vega C launch missions alongside Starship Flight 12
Six launches are scheduled worldwide during the next week, with the 12th flight of SpaceX’s Starship serving as the headline. Outside of Starship, SpaceX is scheduled to launch three Starlink missions on Falcon 9 from the company’s launch facilities in California and Florida. Internationally, Avio launched the joint European and Chinese SMILE mission atop a…
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The US space enterprise is desperately waiting for Starship—will it finally deliver?
These days, one would be forgiven for forgetting that SpaceX is, at its core, a rocket company. Consider the company’s mega deals over the last year. SpaceX paid $17 billion—more than it has spent developing every one of its rockets—to EchoStar for wireless spectrum to boost its Starlink network. It revealed plans to launch 1…