SpaceX launches massive Starship V3 rocket on test flight

SpaceX successfully launched its Starship V3 rocket on a test flight, following a postponement. This marks the 12th flight for a SpaceX rocket and features its latest 124-meter-high design.

BBC News - WorldFiled 2026-05-23 · 03:53 GMTLean · CenterRead · 1 min

SpaceX launches massive Starship V3 rocket on test flight

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SpaceX successfully launched its Starship V3 rocket on a test flight, following a postponement. This marks the 12th flight for a SpaceX rocket and features its latest 124-meter-high design. During the suborbital cruise, Starship deployed 20 mock Starlink satellites and two heat shield scanning satellites. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman congratulated SpaceX, viewing the launch as progress towards lunar and Martian missions. The Starship V3 debut precedes SpaceX's anticipated initial public offering, which could be the largest in Wall Street history and potentially make Elon Musk the first trillionaire. SpaceX also operates the Starlink satellite internet service and the AI firm xAI.

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Nasa Administrator Jared Isaacman congratulated Musk and the SpaceX team.

quoteNasa Administrator Jared Isaacman

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Starship successfully released its payload of 20 mock Starlink satellites during its suborbital cruise phase.

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Starship V3 rocket launched on a test flight.

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SpaceX values itself at $1.25tn.

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SpaceX's initial public offering (IPO) is set to be the largest in Wall Street history and could start next month.

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Full report

1 min read · 159 words

"I wouldn't call it nominal orbital insertion," Huot said.Nasa Administrator Jared Isaacman congratulated Musk and the SpaceX team."One step closer to the Moon… one step closer to Mars," he posted on X.During its suborbital cruise phase, Starship successfully released its payload of 20 mock Starlink satellites, along with two satellites that scanned its heat shield and sent data back to the ground during the its descent.It was the 12th flight of a SpaceX rocket, and this time featured its latest design which stands 124 meters (407 feet) high.The debut of the Starship V3 comes ahead of SpaceX's initial public offering (IPO), which is set to be the largest in Wall Street history. It could start next month.Because of the shares Musk will own in SpaceX, which values itself at $1.25tn, the listing could make him the first-ever trillionaire.SpaceX not only makes rockets, but has a satellite internet service called Starlink, and owns the controversial Artificial Intelligence (AI) firm xAI.

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