SpaceX has officially locked in a launch date for the first flight of its upgraded Starship V3 rocket, marking the company’s return to Starship test missions after a lengthy break.
According to Space, the company announced on Tuesday, May 12, that Starship Flight 12 is scheduled to lift off from Starbase in South Texas on May 19 during a 90-minute launch window opening at 6:30 p.m. ET. The mission will be the debut of Starship V3, a redesigned version of the massive launch system at the center of Elon Musk’s long-term plans for the moon, Mars, and space-based infrastructure.
SpaceX says V3 includes major hardware upgrades aimed at making the rocket more reusable, more powerful, and better suited for deep-space operations. The Super Heavy booster now uses three enlarged grid fins instead of four, while the rocket’s fuel systems and engine startup process have also been overhauled.
SpaceX said the redesign allows all 33 Raptor engines to ignite simultaneously while improving maneuverability during flight.
The upper-stage Ship has also changed significantly. According to the company, the vehicle now includes a completely rebuilt propulsion system and upgraded fuel-transfer connections designed for off-Earth refueling — a key requirement for future missions to the Moon and Mars.
“Together, these new elements are designed to enable a step-change in Starship capabilities,” SpaceX said in an update announcing the launch.
Flight 12 will also introduce Starbase’s new Pad 2 launch site. The upgraded facility can fuel Starship faster and includes revised “chopstick” recovery hardware for future booster catches.
Despite the new technology, SpaceX said this particular booster will not attempt a return catch because it’s the first test flight for the redesigned system. Instead, the Super Heavy stage is expected to splash down in the Gulf of Mexico roughly seven minutes after launch.
The mission profile itself remains aggressive. About 17 minutes after liftoff, the Ship vehicle will begin deploying 22 dummy Starlink V2 satellites before re-igniting one of its six Raptor engines in space. If successful, the spacecraft will eventually splash down in the Indian Ocean roughly 65 minutes after launch.
SpaceX has spent the past few months tying Starship more directly to Musk’s broader ambitions in artificial intelligence and lunar expansion. Earlier this year, Musk told employees at xAI that the company eventually wants to build A.I. satellite factories on the moon as part of a larger push toward Mars colonization.
