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May 22 (Flight 12) · 2026

Starship Flight 12 — First V3 Vehicles, Raptor 3, Pad 2, In-Space 4K Starlink Imaging

Debut of the next-generation vehicle architecture (V3/Raptor 3/Pad 2) purpose-built for operational heavy-lift cadence, massive Starlink V3 deployment, and eventual lunar/Mars missions. In-flight imaging and 4K comms validate Starlink-as-backhaul for spacecraft telemetry and future crewed ops.

Starship Flight 12 launch and Super Heavy landing — public/SpaceX footage

First flight of Starship and Super Heavy V3 (Block 3 vehicles, Raptor 3 engines) from new Pad 2 (OLP-2) at Starbase, Texas. 12th integrated flight test overall. Payload: 20 Starlink V3 mass simulators + 2 modified Starlink satellites for imaging Starship in space (first such demo; upgraded onboard cameras streamed 4K via Starlink). Liftoff with all 33 Raptor 3; hot staging; ship demonstrated engine-out (lost 1 vac Raptor) and achieved trajectory. Deployed payload. Reentry data collected on heat shield and structure under intentional high-stress flap maneuvers mimicking future RTLS profiles. Ship executed flip + landing burn on 2 engines; splashdown Indian Ocean. Booster: partial boostback after ascent engine issue; hard splashdown Gulf of America (per test plan for this flight).

Source: spacex.com/launches/starship-flight-12 (May 22, 2026)

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