SpaceX plans 12th test flight of massive Starship rocket as IPO looms
SpaceX’s new Starship V3 rocket is seen docked at Starbase as seen from South Padre Island, Texas, during its 12th test flight on May 21, 2026.
Ronaldo Schemidt | Afp | Getty Images
SpaceX is preparing for the 12th test flight of its massive Starship rocket on Thursday; This is a major launch ahead of the company’s IPO, which is expected to take place next month.
In its IPO, SpaceX said the launch would represent the debut of Starship V3, which is “designed to carry 100 metric tons to Earth orbit in a fully reusable configuration while providing rapid turnaround times similar to commercial aviation.” prospectus on Wednesday.
A 90-minute launch window is set to open at 6:30 pm ET and activity Can be watched via webcast. The launch may be delayed due to weather conditions or other disruptions.
Elon Musk’s reusable rocket maker has spent more than $15 billion on its Starship program, according to a filing Wednesday. The company says Starship is key to launching more satellites into orbit to build the Starlink constellation faster than it can use Falcon 9 rockets. Starlink provides wireless internet services to consumers, businesses and government agencies.
The latest version of the Starship rocket It will launch from a newly designed platform at SpaceX’s facility in Starbase, Texas, an official company city formerly known as Boca Chica.
The test flight will likely be the company’s last chance to dazzle investors with its Starship launch before shares go public. Last year, SpaceX’s space segment generated $4.1 billion in revenue and recorded an operating loss of $657 million.
The company relies on Starlink for a large amount of revenue and all profits. The connectivity unit, which consists mostly of Starlink, has sales of $11.4 billion and operating income of $4.4 billion in 2025. This accounted for 61% of the company’s total sales last year and 69% in the first quarter.
Regarding its space business, SpaceX said in its prospectus that its “growth strategy is dependent on our ability to increase launch tempo and payload capacity, which is dependent on the successful development of Starship at scale.”
Musk has long pursued a major goal of colonizing Mars by using the Starship rocket to carry cargo and up to 100 people into orbit at the same time.
NASA also believes Starship will serve as the lander that will carry its astronauts to the moon on the Artemis IV mission, currently scheduled for early 2028. The mission will mark the first return trip of U.S. astronauts to the moon in more than half a century.
Starship V3 is 128 feet tall when fully stacked and has new engines that will make it a more powerful rocket with 18 million pounds of thrust. The company will carry fake Starlink satellites during the test flight, but will not carry astronauts or other cargo.
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