Liftoff is scheduled for Wednesday, May 20, 2026, at 6:30 p.m. Eastern with a 90-minute launch window.
The importance of this is the debut of a new next-generation Starship and Super Heavy; this is the first launch from the newly redesigned Starbase launchpad, demonstrating the upgraded Raptor engines in flight.
The goals of flight 12 are:
- Deploy 20 Starlink simulators and 2 modified Starlink satellites
- Test in-space Raptor relight
- Evaluate the heat shield performance and tile damage scenarios during reentry
- Perform experimental reentry and maneuvering tests
- Offshore splashdown attempt for the redesigned Super Heavy Booster
If this is successfully pulled off, it will be an enormous step for not only landing on the moon but a huge projection in U.S. power, given that no other company or country has the capability to put as many or as large of assets into space as what Starship will offer.
đź‘Źđź‘Źđź‘Ź excited to own one share of Space X
"own"
Some people focus on the explosions, but the pace of iteration is honestly insane. If Starship V3 nails even half these objectives, it changes the scale of what’s possible in space. The in-space relight + payload deployment are probably the biggest things I’m watching.