SpaceX launches Starship V3 for first time but loses booster
Original: SpaceX launches Starship V3 for the first time, but loses booster on return
Why This Matters
Major milestone for SpaceX's Mars mission plans and commercial satellite deployment
SpaceX successfully launched its upgraded Starship V3 rocket from Texas at 5:30 PM local time, but the Super Heavy booster failed to re-ignite engines for landing and crashed into Gulf of Mexico. Upper stage deployed 20 Starlink simulators despite losing one engine.
SpaceX conducted the first test of its upgraded Starship V3, the most powerful rocket ever built at 407 feet tall. While the upper stage successfully separated and deployed satellite simulators, the Super Heavy booster's engines failed to re-ignite for the landing burn, causing it to tumble and likely explode in the Gulf of Mexico. The Starship lost one of six Raptor engines but completed its mission, simulating a landing in the Indian Ocean before exploding as planned. The test utilized SpaceX's new launchpad at Starbase after delays due to hydraulic issues. This launch comes as SpaceX filed for IPO this week, expecting to raise $75 billion when listing on Nasdaq in mid-June. The V3 features third-generation Raptor engines with more thrust and simpler design.