SpaceX successfully launched Starship V3 – the most powerful rocket in history – from Starbase Texas in the early morning of May 23, Malaysia time. This is the first time the third version of Starship has been launched and it brings various improvements based on the five Starship V2 launches launched since 2024.
This is the first time SpaceX has launched Starship since October 2025 with the test not going entirely as planned. One Raptor engine on the Super Heavy rocket and one engine on the Starship failed to function. However, Starship managed to reach orbit before launching 20 dummy satellites and 2 actual Starlink satellites into low-Earth orbit (LEO).
The loss of one of the Super Heavy engines forced SpaceX’s control center to order it to crash into the Gulf of Mexico to avoid an accident while trying to be captured by the launch pad’s chopstick clamping mechanism like previous missions.
The two Starlink satellites that were launched were equipped with cameras to inspect the thermal protection tiles while in space and to live stream the satellite launch through holes in the side of the Starship. The process of launching all 22 satellites took about 10 minutes. After launch, the Starship was directed back to Earth and then splashed down on the surface of the Indian Ocean like the previous mission profile.
Although this mission did not bring a major new demonstration, the success of the first flight of the V3 is considered important because it is an improved design with various structural and system changes. This is necessary because the Starship delays have caused the Artemis III Mission to the moon to be postponed to Artemis IV in 2028.
For SpaceX, the success of this mission is very necessary because the company has just filed documents to file for an IPO in the United States. SpaceX's IPO is predicted to be the most valuable in history with the company targeting a market value of $ 1.75 trillion.
