SpaceX launches upgraded Starship on 12th test flight
On Friday, SpaceX conducted a test flight of its most formidable Starship to date, an enhanced model that NASA relies on for lunar astronaut landings. The upgraded rocket, known as V3, lifted off from a newly established launch pad at Starbase, located near the Mexican border, with 20 dummy Starlink satellites onboard. Standing at 124 meters (407 feet), it surpasses previous Starship versions by over a meter and boasts increased engine thrust. This marks the 12th test flight of the rocket, which CEO Elon Musk envisions will eventually transport humans to Mars, while also supporting NASA's Artemis initiative to return astronauts to the moon. The launch followed a failed attempt on Thursday due to last-minute pad complications, just two days after Musk revealed plans for a public offering. SpaceX aims to prevent the mid-air explosions that affected earlier flights last year.
Key facts
- SpaceX launched its biggest, most powerful Starship yet on a test flight Friday.
- The upgraded version is called V3 and is the third-generation Starship.
- It blasted off from a new launch pad at Starbase near the Mexican border.
- The rocket carried 20 mock Starlink satellites for release halfway around the world.
- At 124 meters (407 feet), it is over a meter taller than older Starship lines.
- This is the 12th test flight of the Starship rocket.
- Elon Musk announced he was taking the company public two days before the launch.
- NASA is counting on the Starship to land astronauts on the moon under the Artemis program.
Entities
Institutions
- SpaceX
- NASA
- Blue Origin
Locations
- Starbase
- Texas
- Mexican border
- Atlantic