The world’s largest and most powerful rocket is set to launch on the night of May 21 at 6:30 p.m. EDT (2230 GMT). SpaceX is launching the upgraded Starship V3.
Why is it taking so long?
The road to this launch has been long and arduous. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk had originally announced the launch for March, but the date was pushed back to April, then to May. Even this week, the date changed twice: first from the 19th to the 20th, then to the 21st. Preparations were marked by serious incidents.
During testing at the Starbase site, a water suppression system exploded. This caused some delays, but engineers fixed the problem and resumed preparations.
Shortly before launch, a contractor working at the complex died after falling from a height. The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is investigating the circumstances of the tragedy.
New version
The last Starship mission took place back in October 2025. Since then, SpaceX has been developing a fundamentally redesigned version, Starship V3, which has become the tallest rocket in the world at 124.4 meters—1.2 meters taller than the previous V2 version.
SpaceX has redesigned both stages, but has not yet disclosed the details. The main thing that sets V3 apart from all its predecessors is that this version is designed for interplanetary missions for the first time.
What will happen during the flight?
The Ship upper stage will follow a suborbital trajectory and splash down in the Indian Ocean near Western Australia approximately 65 minutes after launch. During this time, it will deploy 20 Starlink satellite mockups and two probe spacecraft equipped with cameras that will transmit images from the flight.
The Super Heavy booster will return on its own and splash down in the Gulf of Mexico approximately seven minutes after liftoff.
Why is this launch important?
NASA is counting on Starship to serve as the landing module for the Artemis lunar program. However, the rocket is still far from being fully operational, as no Starship has yet reached orbit, lacks a life support system, and has never carried an actual payload.
Starship V3 is set to become the base model for all future missions, including lunar landings and flights to Mars.
According to space.com
