SpaceX Stacks Starship V3 Rocket, Completes Major Fueling Test Ahead of Debut Launch
SpaceX fully fueled the 33-engine booster and Ship upper stage during a wet dress rehearsal before the vehicle's 12th test flight.
- SpaceX is set to launch its redesigned V3 Starship on its 12th test flight Thursday from the Starbase facility in South Texas, with the vehicle currently stacked and ready for liftoff at 6:30 p.m. EDT.
- The new rocket integrates dozens of Raptor 3 engines powered by a novel fuel system and features an integrated "hot staging ring" replacing temporary fixes from previous failures.
- Financial disclosures reveal SpaceX spent $930 million on Starship development in the first quarter of 2026, with the company having spent over $3 billion in 2025 while targeting an IPO valuation of up to $1.5 trillion.
- "Super important for the IPO," said PitchBook senior researcher Franco Granda, while TMF president Tim Farrar cautioned the company cannot justify valuations exceeding a trillion dollars on current achievements alone.
- Musk has called Starship "a critical piece of the puzzle" for achieving SpaceX's goals, as the rocket will eventually support NASA's Artemis missions by providing massive payload capacity to reach the Moon and Mars.
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New version of Starship rocket ready for critical test flight
A new version of SpaceX’s mammoth Starship rocket, featuring multiple upgrades, more powerful engines and major safety enhancements is poised for blastoff Thursday in a critical milestone for Elon Musk’s rocket company.It’s also a critical mission for NASA, which is counting on SpaceX to develop and deliver a flight-tested, human-rated version of the Starship upper stage to carry Artemis astronauts from lunar orbit to the moon’s surface and back…
After several delays in recent months, the new Starship V3 is finally on the ramp and SpaceX is counting down the final hours. Unless there are any further complications, don't go to sleep tonight, because at thirty minutes past midnight the window opens for the twelfth launch of the largest rocket ever. While ...
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