SpaceX will launch Starship V3 for its first test flight today
Key takeaways
- Is planned launch on Thursday was scrubbed due to a technical issue.
- Space X Space X is targeting a launch window that opens at 6:30PM Eastern time today, May 22, for the Starship V3's debut flight.
- The V3 version of Starship is approximately five feet taller than the previous iteration and features several significant upgrades.
Is planned launch on Thursday was scrubbed due to a technical issue.
Space X Space X is targeting a launch window that opens at 6:30PM Eastern time today, May 22, for the Starship V3's debut flight. The company had to scrub its plans for V3's first flight, and Starship's 12th overall test flight, on May 21 after encountering technical issues. It was already counting down for launch on Thursday evening from Starbase, Texas when it had to stand down. A hydraulic pin holding the spacecraft's tower arm in place would not retract, Elon Musk revealed on X.
The V3 version of Starship is approximately five feet taller than the previous iteration and features several significant upgrades. Both the Super Heavy and Ship stages are equipped with the company's more powerful Raptor 3 engines, which can deliver "increased thrust." Its Super Heavy's 33 Raptor 3 engines can deliver a combined thrust of over 18 million pounds, allowing the spacecraft to carry heavier payloads. That's a necessary capability for longer journeys into space. "Starship and Super Heavy V3 will debut advanced avionics capabilities designed for high flight-rate, full reusability, and enhanced reliability," SpaceX wrote in its website.