SpaceX sent its largest and most powerful Starship prototype on a test flight Friday, May 22, 2026. The updated rocket is intended to support NASA plans for crewed lunar landings. The new version debuted two days after company leader Elon Musk stated plans to take the firm public. Liftoff occurred from southern Texas, with 20 dummy Starlink satellites aboard for deployment on the opposite side of the planet. This marked the 12th trial of the vehicle designed ultimately for Mars travel, though lunar missions under NASA’s Artemis program come first. The final earlier-model Starship flew in October. The third-generation craft, designated V3, rose from a new pad at Starbase near the Mexican border. A launch attempt the previous evening was halted by last-minute pad problems. The company aimed to prevent the explosions seen in prior flights that scattered debris across the Atlantic. At 124 meters tall, the current model exceeds previous versions in height and engine power. The revised booster uses fewer but larger grid fins for Earth return control and a bigger fuel line feeding its 33 engines. The stainless-steel upper stage carries additional cameras, navigation systems, computers, and docking hardware for future missions. Full reusability remains the goal, with mechanical arms planned to catch returning stages, though this flight involved no recovery. The booster was set to end in the Gulf of Mexico and the upper stage in the Indian Ocean. NASA has awarded SpaceX billions, along with funding to Blue Origin, to develop lunar landers for Artemis crews. Both firms seek to deliver the first operational system. While Starship has reached space on several short flights, Blue Origin’s Blue Moon has not yet launched, though a test vehicle is in preparation for later this year. NASA follows April’s crewed lunar flyby with an orbital docking rehearsal next year under Artemis III. Artemis IV, possibly in 2028, would attempt the first crewed landing since Apollo 17, targeting a south-polar outpost with astronauts and robotic support. SpaceX already accepts bookings for private lunar and Mars trips. California businessman Dennis Tito and his wife reserved seats over three years ago for a lunar flyby, with timing still unclear. This week, investor Chun Wang announced plans to join the first Starship Mars mission. He previously flew on a SpaceX polar orbit mission last year.
