Overview
- Elon Musk posted on X that the next Starship launch is about six weeks away, indicating an early-to-mid March window for Flight 12.
- The inaugural V3 stack pairs Booster 19 with Ship 39 and debuts Raptor V3 engines that boost thrust while cutting weight and cost.
- SpaceX says V3 is taller, carries more propellant, and adds docking adapters to enable in-orbit refueling for lunar and Mars mission profiles.
- The target follows a November ground-test explosion that damaged a V3 booster, with a detailed failure analysis still pending and an FAA license yet to be issued.
- SpaceX plans to use V3 for heavier next-generation Starlink satellites as Blue Origin readies a third New Glenn launch in late February.