SpaceX is targeting Tuesday, May 19, 2026 at 6:30 p.m. EDT for Flight 12, the debut launch of the third major iteration of Starship-Super Heavy from the newly built Pad 2 at Starbase, Texas. The 90-minute window opens what CEO Elon Musk has called the company's first step toward a fully reusable, off-Earth-refuellable orbital vehicle.
Starship V3 introduces upgraded Raptor 3 engines producing 250 tonnes-force at sea level (up from 230 tf) and 275 tf in vacuum, three larger and stronger grid fins instead of four, a redesigned fuel transfer tube that lets all 33 engines start simultaneously, and propellant feed connections to support future orbital refuelling. Ship 39 carries a near-complete heat shield with only one intentionally missing tile, plus 22 dummy Starlink V2 satellites — double the count of previous flights.
Unlike recent missions, SpaceX will not attempt a tower catch. Booster 19 will perform a controlled splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico about seven minutes after liftoff, while Ship 39 targets an aquatic landing in the Indian Ocean roughly an hour into the suborbital flight. The FAA has set May 20 as a backup window.