Starship V3 Takes Off: SpaceX Tests Its Most Powerful Rocket
SpaceX launched the upgraded Starship V3—considered the world’s largest rocket—into the sky for the first time and conducted a test flight as part of a new phase of its space program. The launch was marred by technical glitches but ended with a controlled return of the spacecraft, prompting applause from the team. CNN reported this.
SpaceX conducted the first test flight of Starship V3 from its base in Texas, and the launch looked impressive: all 33 Raptor engines fired normally, the rocket confidently entered a suborbital trajectory, and even deployed 22 satellite mockups, some of which were equipped with cameras to test the thermal protection system.
However, the flight was not without issues, as the Super Heavy booster failed to perform a full return maneuver required for a controlled landing, and only five of the spacecraft’s six engines operated consistently, preventing the vehicle from reaching a perfect orbit, though it remained within the acceptable trajectory.
Liftoff of Starship! pic.twitter.com/LQLdjK5V6K
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) May 22, 2026
Despite this, SpaceX engineers did not conduct any additional test flights in space, and the spacecraft itself re-entered the atmosphere and splashed down using only a portion of its engines, allowing the mission to be completed without catastrophic consequences—a moment the company celebrated with applause as a sign of controlled progress.
The new version of Starship is capable of launching 150 to 250 tons of cargo into orbit, making it significantly more powerful than the Falcon 9, with the cost of a single launch estimated at approximately $90 million. SpaceX plans to use the system for satellites, deep-space missions, and the future landing of NASA astronauts on the Moon in 2028.
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