The first Starship test flight of 2026 is scheduled for as soon as early March as SpaceX enters a critical year in the vehicle’s development.

The launch date had been up in the air after the rocket's booster stage suffered an explosion during testing in November.

Flight 12 will try to extend that run of success while also breaking in the new "Version 3" of Starship. Among other modifications, this variant is a bit taller than its predecessors and will also be the first to employ SpaceX's new Raptor 3 engine.

SpaceX is gearing up to debut Starship’s Version 3, testing the upgraded rocket’s ability to reach orbit for the first time as the company races to fly missions to the Moon and Mars. SpaceX CEO and founder Elon Musk announced on X that Starship’s upcoming launch is in six weeks,

SpaceX is about to find out whether its giant stainless-steel gamble can mature from spectacular prototype to dependable workhorse. The next Starship test flight is shaping up as a pivotal moment, not just for the company’s launch business but for how quickly the United States can push deeper into cislunar space and,

This is the last flight before SpaceX begins test-launching an upgraded version of the rocket better suited for longer space missions.Elon Musk's mammoth SpaceX Starship on Monday completed its 11th test flight from a Texas launch site. This was the last ...

The upcoming launch, known as flight 12, follows a series of five test flights in 2025. Starship is the world's largest rocket and is being developed as a fully reusable transportation system. The new Version 3 prototype is expected to make its debut in ...

SpaceX is considering a potential merger with Tesla Inc., as well as an alternative combination with artificial intelligence firm xAI, according to people familiar with the matter, a sign billionaire Elon Musk is weighing how to consolidate his empire.