
Mandatory Credit: SpaceX
SpaceX launches its 12th Starship test flight from Starbase, Texas, on Friday, May 22.
The first launch attempt on Thursday was scrubbed just under a minute before liftoff when a hydraulic pin holding the launch tower arm in place failed to retract as planned.
The mission will mark the debut of the company's next-generation Starship V3 vehicle and an upgraded Super Heavy booster, powered by the latest version of the Raptor engine. It will also lift off from a newly redesigned launch pad at Starbase.
The main aim of the test is to assess the upgraded systems in flight for the first time. The mission will also trial major changes to the Starship design, as SpaceX works towards making the vehicle fully and rapidly reusable.