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SpaceX launched its first Starship V3 rocket on May 21, 2026, completing Flight 12 from the brand new Pad 2 at Starbase in Boca Chica, Texas. The Block 3 vehicle featured Raptor 3 engines delivering roughly 250 tonnes-force of thrust each, and carried 22 inert Starlink mass simulators for a deployment test. The Super Heavy booster performed a controlled splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico while the Starship upper stage completed its journey with a water landing in the Indian Ocean, marking a major step toward the Artemis 4 lunar mission in 2028.

Science · May 21 · L1-L4