SpaceX’s Starship photographed in space by Dodger Dog’s camera. Flight Test 12, (Ren@art, SpaceX, 22 May 2026).
SpaceX’s Starship Flight Test 12 launched successfully from pad 2 at Bocachica, Texas, USA on 22 May 2026. The first test of version 3 of the Starship was a success, collecting all the expected data and demonstrating the viability of new technology in all areas.
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Updates
Starship Launch Test 12 - 22 May 2026.● Countdown.
● Lift-off & Ascent.
● Stage separation & Booster landing.
● Orbit insertion & Satellite deployment.
● Re-entry & Water landing.
Launch Test 12 Broadcast.
Background
Flight Test 12: Testing goals.What is new in Flight Test 12?
Artemis plans for the Moon.
Moonwalkers.
Artemis Accords.
Artemis Goddess of the Moon.
UPDATES
Starship Launch Test 12
– 22 May 2026 -
The first launch attempt on 21 May was scrubbed because the hydraulic safety pin that locks the lower arm kept triggering a “hold” as it would not retract. This arm supports the fuel pipes during loading of the tanks and is required to fully retract for launch. The issue was solved successfully, and the launch was resumed the next day.
On 22 May 2026, Starship successfully launched from Starbase’s brand-new launch pad 2 at Bocachica, Texas. The flight profile included the following milestones.
- Launch firing all 33 new Raptor Engines.
- Ascent and separation testing the new integrated hot stage.
- The booster performs a return burn and controlled water landing.
- Starship continues entering orbit to deploy 20 satellite simulators and 2 test simulators, a.k.a. Dodger Dogs.
- Starship performs a return burn to initiate re-entry.
- Starship performs an autonomous controlled water landing in the Indian Ocean.
Countdown
Starship v3 during countdown on brand-new Launchpad 2 at Starbase, the “Gateway to Mars”.Notice the historic relic Sky-Hopper in the carpark opposite the platform (SpaceX, Flight Test 12, 21 May 2026).
Starship v3 loading cryogenic fuels: Methane (CH4) and Liquid Oxygen (LOX)into the tanks of both stages, Booster and Starship (SpaceX, Flight Test 12, 21 May 2026).
Starship v3 closeup 40sec before launch. Notice larger Grid-Fins and open walls of the integrated Hot-Stage (SpaceX, Flight Test 12, 21 May 2026).
Starship v3 Raptor Engines (also v3): 3 inner, 3 outer rings.Notice open walls at the interface with the Hot Stage that constitutes the top of the booster’s fuel tank (SpaceX, Flight Test 12, 21 May 2026).
Lift-off & Ascent
Starship FT12: Lift off.Notice all 33 raptor engines firing on the Super Heavy Booster (SpaceX, Flight Test 12, 22 May 2026).
Starship FT12: Ascent with all booster engines ignited. Bocachica coast in the background (SpaceX, Flight Test 12, 22 May 2026).
Starship FT12: Ascent. Starbase and Bocachica coast in the background (SpaceX, Flight Test 12, 22 May 2026).
Watch Test Flight 12 Lift-off:
Video of Flight Test 12’s “Liftoff of Starship!” posted on “X” (SpaceX, 22 May 2026) (51sec).Liftoff of Starship! pic.twitter.com/LQLdjK5V6K
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) May 22, 2026
Public videos of the launch of Starship Flight Test 12.
Stage separation & Booster landing
Starship FT12: Separation boost. Note the ring of fire around the interface diverted by the integrated Hot Stage.Notice that all 6 engines of Starship ignited (SpaceX, Flight Test 12, 22 May 2026).
Starship FT12: Stage Separation. Note the opened wall surrounding the Booster's integrated Hot Stage.Notice that multiple booster engines switched off after a rapid separation (SpaceX, Flight Test 12, 22 May 2026).
Starship FT12: Superheavy booster in free fall guided by the new larger Grid Fins towards the Gulf of America.Notice that one of Starship’s engines switched off (SpaceX, Flight Test 12, 22 May 2026).
Most of the Super Heavy Booster engines shut down after stage separation due to an unexpected rapid booster flip (see image above), and 8 of the 28 engines required for the Boost-back Burn, failed to relit. These anomalies contributed to missing the landing spot. In addition, only one engine relit for the Landing Burn, therefore the booster experienced a “hard splashdown”, meaning, it crashed into the Gulf of America.
Consequently, on 27 May 2026, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requested a mishap investigation declaring “The FAA will oversee the SpaceX-led investigation, be involved in every step of the process, and approve SpaceX’s final report, including any corrective actions”, effectively grounding SpaceX’s Starship until the review is completed.
Orbit insertion & Payload deployment
Despite the unintentional loss of one engine, Starship compensated the power using its remaining 5 raptors to continue with its mission and entered lower orbit.
Once the required altitude and speed were reached, the cargo was deployed without anomalies. Starship’s cargo consisted of 20 satellite simulators and 2 experimental ones fitted with cameras and sensors that stuck out at both ends, for which they were affectionately known as “Dodger Dogs”.
In comparison with Test 11, the payload deployment was faster, satellites were ejected in pairs. The last test satellite recorded the exit looking back at the compartment, the exit door and the outside of the ship filming for the first time the complete Starship suspended in space. In the future, modified instruments will fly around Starship to inspect the Heat Shield before proceeding with re-entry.
Starship FT12: Starship S39 in orbit with the Earth in the background (SpaceX, Flight Test 12, 22 May 2026).
Starship FT12: Stack of 20 Satellite simulators ready for deployment.Notice the elongated opening at the end and the cupula of the fuel tank at the bottom of the image (SpaceX, Flight Test 12, 22 May 2026).
Starship FT12: Deployment of the first pair of satellite simulators.The engineering teams at Starbase applaud to celebrate their success (SpaceX, Flight Test 12, 22 May 2026).
Starship FT12: Starlink’s view of the port as it exits Starship.Note one of the four round bowl-shaped supports or “Docking drogues” that will allow docking of another ship for fuel transfer in space (SpaceX, Flight Test 12, 22 May 2026).
Starship FT12: Starlink’s view of the full unshielded side of Starship in space (SpaceX, Flight Test 12, 22 May 2026).
Watch Dodger Dog’s view of Starship in space as it is deployed into orbit:
Video of Flight Test 12’s “Starlink satellite view” of deployment from Starship, posted on “X” (SpaceX, 23 May 2026) (1min).Views of Starship in space from a @Starlink satellite pic.twitter.com/5hfw1n8v1o
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) May 22, 2026
Re-entry & Splashdown
Re-entry was completed successfully with the expected formation of plasma. The process was transmitted live via the Starlink network, avoiding the communications blackout that typically hinders missions during re-entry.
Starship FT12: Re-entry with formation of plasma (SpaceX, Flight Test 12, 22 May 2026).
Waiting for Starship in the Indian Ocean was the SpaceX team represented by Suren Sanai during the live broadcast. Their main goal was “range-clearing”, ensuring the predicted landing zone is clear of vessels or other obstacles; they also collect imagery of Starship’s water landing using cameras mounted on buoys. Over time, the buoys and cameras were fitted with means to steer and aim at the fast-moving vehicle, helped by Starship’s ability of precise landing.
Starship FT12: Suren Sanai represents the Indian Ocean team, preparing bouys with cameras and aiming equipment(SpaceX, Flight Test 12, 22 May 2026).
Starship FT12: Indian Ocean SpaceX team onboard “JMR19005 N.T.140” in charge of range-clearing and imagery collection(SpaceX, Flight Test 12, 22 May 2026).
Inside the atmosphere, Starship cruised down towards the Indian Ocean and around 20 metres above sea level, the Raptor engines lit up for a landing burn, flipping the ship to vertical and hovering over the landing zone before touchdown over the ocean. Once in the water, Starship fell on its belly and the programmed auto-destruction mechanism was activated, resulting in a large explosion that consumed the remaining fuel minimising chemical contamination of the ocean. The event was filmed by buoy and drone cameras. Debris from the ship were later gathered by recovery teams.
Starship FT12: Starship descending inside the atmosphere at subsonic speed (SpaceX, Flight Test 12, 22 May 2026).
Starship FT12: Starship’s landing burn and flip to vertical (SpaceX, Flight Test 12, 22 May 2026).
Starship FT12: Starship falling from vertical onto the ocean (SpaceX, Flight Test 12, 22 May 2026).
Starship FT12: Starship’s controlled explosion (SpaceX, Flight Test 12, 22 May 2026).
Starship FT12: Starship’s mushroom cloud following explosion to burn out fuel (SpaceX, Flight Test 12, 22 May 2026).
Watch Buoy’s view of Starship water landing:
Video of Flight Test 12’s Starship's landing on the Indian Ocean, posted on “X” (SpaceX, 23 May 2026) (23sec).Starship flip and landing burn at the end of its twelfth flight test pic.twitter.com/0iJUox3FJt
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) May 25, 2026
Video of Flight Test 12’s Starship's flip and landing on the Indian Ocean, posted on “X” (SpaceX, 23 May 2026) (16sec).Starlink-equipped buoys provided real-time video streaming in the Indian Ocean during Starship's twelfth flight test pic.twitter.com/SzfmwUMg4N
— Starlink (@Starlink) May 26, 2026
Launch Broadcast – 22may2026
Hosts
The broadcast of Flight Test 12 Launch was hosted by Emmy Award Winner Kate Tice, Senior Manager, Quality Systems Engineering; Jake Berkowitz, Lead Propulsion Engineer, and Dan Huot, from the Communications team, all based near the production floor at Star Factory in Bocachica, Texas. An additional presenter was Tyler Lionquist, Starlink Business Analyst based in Hawthorne, Texas.
Flight Test 12 Broadcast Hosts: Kate Tice, Jake Berkowitz, Dan Huot and Tyler Lionquist (SpaceX, 22 May 2026).
Guests
A special guest of the webcast was Jared Isaacman, a former SpaceX customer in Inspiration 4 and Polaris Dawn missions. He flew onboard Dragon Capsule Resilience in both missions and in the latter, he performed the first commercial spacewalk. Isaacman is the current NASA Administrator and arrived at the launch complex in style, with a flyby on his supersonic F5 private jet. He was delighted to see the changes and a brand-new rocket on the launchpad.
Find more about the Polaris Dawn mission that launched on 10 September 2024 at SpaceX Polaris Dawn - 10 to 15 Sep 2024 (opens on a new tab/window).
And about Jared Isaacman’s new role as NASA Administrator 18 December 2025 at Jared Isaacman NASA Administrator - 18 Dec 2025 (opens on a new tab/window).
Jared Isaacman’s private F5 jet during flyby over Starbase at Boca Chica.Below: Co-pilot filming Launch Pad 2 before Starship FT 12 launch, Starbase at Boca Chica, Texas (Matt Anderson, Yahoo! News, 23 May 2026).
Starship on Launch Pad 2 before FT 12 launch, Starbase at Boca Chica, Texas (Matt Anderson, Yahoo! News, 23 May 2026).
Flight Test 12 Broadcast: Jared Isaacman, NASA Administrator interviewed by Dan Huot (SpaceX, 22 May 2026).
Another news presented during the webcast was that entrepreneur Chun Wang, who sponsored the Fram 2 mission, will be the first commercial inter-planetary traveller onboard the first Starship mission to fly past the Moon on its way to Mars.
Wang also flew the Dragon Capsule Resilience fitted with a transparent cupula.
Learn more about Fram 2 that launched on 31 March 2025 at SpaceX FRAM 2 - 31 Mar to 04 Apr 2025 (opens on a new tab/window).
Entrepreneur Chun Wang during Fram 2 mission with the Earth in the background seen through Dragon Capsule’s cupula (SpaceX, 01 April 2025).
Cameo appearance
During the first launch attempt, rapper Nicki Minaj surprised the audience when she appeared during the broadcast wearing a “Starship” T-Shirt. The media reported an “embarrassing appearance” at the failed rocket launch.
Rapper Nicki Minaj surprised the audience appearing during FT12 broadcast (SpaceX, 21 May 2026).
Starship's Flight Test 12 Launch: Full Webcast
Watch Flight Test 12’s full broadcast on SpaceX.com (1h 44m)
Video of full broadcast of Starship Flight Test 12 Launch from Launchpad 2 at Starbase, posted on “X” (SpaceX, 22 May 2026) (1h 44sec).Watch Starship's twelfth flight test https://t.co/caRB1thMlg
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) May 22, 2026
END of UPDATES
BACKGROUND
Flight Test 12: Testing goals
The following is a summary of the main goals of Starship’s Flight Test 12. With this new version, the full system required thorough testing to analyse issues and find solutions for future versions.
Booster: Successful launch, ascent, stage separation, boostback burn, landing burn and landing point offshore in the Gulf of America. Because this is the first test for a new system the booster will not attempt return for catch.
Starship: Payload deployment of 20 Starlink simulators (emulating v3 satellites) and 2 v2 simulators modified with measuring instruments. It was also envisioned to send modified satellites that scan Starship’s heat shield and transmit images to control to simulate inspection for future missions. Some tiles painted white to simulate missing tiles. Relight of single Raptor engine in space.
Launchpad: Evaluate functionality of the structure and its integrity.
What is new in Test 12?
The third generation of Starship and Super Heavy vehicles was powered by the third version of Raptor engines. The assembled rocket launched from a new version of Launch pad at Starbase.
Super Heavy version 3 Booster
Integrated Hot Stage with open wallsand only 3 grid fins (SpaceX, 2026).
- Grid Fins reduced from 4 to 3, each 50% larger and stronger to support lift and catch operations. They have been lowered in the body to reduce heat exposure during stage separation.
- The Hot Stage is now integrated, consisting of a steel plate shaped as a dome to protect the fuel tank. The walls are open to allow energy dispersion.
- Cryogenic fuel transfer tube to 33 Raptor engines was redesigned to ensure starting up simultaneously, faster and more reliably.
- The aft and thermal protection system around the engines was redesigned.
- The booster now has two connection points to the pad.
Starship version 3
- Propulsion system redesigned to increase propellant tank volume and is more exposed to avoid trap propellent leakage.
- Aft fluid and electrical system rerouted to reduce environmental control.
- Aft flap actuator reduced from 2 to a single one with 3 motors, providing redundancy and reducing mass and cost.
- Starlink PEZ dispenser enhanced for faster satellite deployment.
- Improved cryogenic propellent management for extended coasts in space.
- Docking drogues added to enable docking with other Starships with propellant feed connection for ship-to-ship propellant transfer.
- Advanced avionics for higher flight-rate, reusability and reliability.
- Upgraded multi-sensor navigation for precise autonomous flight with higher redundancy.
- Precision radio-frequency sensors for measuring propellent in micro-gravity, important to monitor propellant during transfer.
- Upgraded cameras to provide 50 views for better coverage, with high-speed Starlink connection.
Raptor Engine version 3
- Increased thrust from previous 230 to 250 Tonnes-Force (tf) at sea-levels, and for vacuum engines, from previous 258 to 275 tf.
- Sensors and controllers covered by engine thermal protection.
- Redesigned ignition system.
- Lighter engines with mass reduced from 1.6 to 1.5 tonnes.
Raptor Engines: 33 on v2 (left) and v3 booster. Bottom: Evolution of raptor engines 1 to 3, 2017 to 2026 (SpaceX, 2026).
Launch Pad 2
- Increased storage capacity of propellant farm.
- More propellant pumps for faster vehicle filling.
- Shorter tower chopsticks for faster motion, with their actuators changed from hydraulic to electromechanical for better speed, redundancy and reliability.
- The quick disconnect arm for loading propellant is stronger and rotates farther away from the rocket during launch.
- Launch mount and hold-downs redesigned to improve load sharing, reliability and protection. A new bidirectional flame diverter and deflector re-designed to eliminate ablation. Vent valves and filters for booster fluid relocated to isolate Oxygen from Methane for safety.
- Flame trench with concrete-filled stainless-steel walls and stainless-steel cladding on the floor, making it one of the most heavily reinforced and protected flame trenches ever built.
Starlink Satellite Network
Two of the released dummy-satellites were tech demonstrations with instruments at both ends, therefore named “dodger dogs”. The instruments test v3 components and include cameras that will allow to inspect the heatshield before re-entry.
V3 Starlink downlink capacity will be 60 Terabits/sec per satellite, which is 20 times more than each v2 does today.
In the future, Starlink will include AI satellites that will allow cloud computing reaching a capacity of 100gW to 1tW of AI computing annually. Later, a new orbital network around the Moon will connect with that around the Earth using lasers for fast transmissions.
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- Separation of the Crew Module Orion from the European Service Module (37min before splashdown).
- Orion performs a Raise Burn to position the module in correct orientation for re-entry.
- Orion begins entry into the atmosphere at 121km of altitude (13min before splashdown).
- Jettison of the Forward Bay Cover at 10km of altitude to expose parachute system.
- Parachutes: Drogues, Pilots and Main, are deployed in sequence starting at 6km, 2km and 1.5km respectively.
- Splashdown on the Pacific Ocean.
- Uprighting system deploys to stabilise the capsule on the surface.
- Recovery.
Mr Isaacman thanked President Donald Trump and NASA partners in Congress, the agency’s workforce, the international partners including the European and Canadian Space agencies, and the American Taxpayers.
“There is no doubt that there is a price to pay when it comes to exploring the Cosmos, but there is also a return, in the jobs it creates, the technologies that improve life on Earth and the inspiration it sparks on those who choose to follow” (Jared Isaacman, 2026).
Astronaut Christina Koch described a crew as a team where everyone has the same needs, must face the same threats and must care for each other no matter what because they are in the same journey. When watching the Earth suspended alone in the blackness of space, she realised that Planet Earth is analogous to a crew.
Jeremy Hansen was praised by Lisa Campbell, Canadian Space Agency President, for representing “the best of what it means to be Canadian, exemplifying the deepest values of discipline, humility and hard work”.
US Representative Chairman Brian Babin, representing the US Congress and the district of Texas, said that the Artemis 2 crew inspired not only America but the entire World and generations of humans that will come after them.
“The United States is ready for this challenge and ready to lead. As the US leads in space, they carry the principles of Freedom, Innovation and Opportunity” (Brian Babin, 2026).
Michael Cloud, US Representative of the congressional district of Texas thanked the crew for inspiring everyone again.
At the end of the conference, Commander Reid Weisman addressed the NASA astronauts-in-training who had attended the event and promised that the Artemis 2 crew would support them at every step of the way in their journey to the Moon.
Artemis 2 Crew on stage, presented by Jared Isaacman, NASA Administrator, Huston, Texas, USA (NASA, 11 April 2026).
Artemis 2 astronauts Reid Wiseman, Christina Koch, Jeremy Hansen and Victor Glover deliver their personal messages to the world,Huston, Texas, USA (NASA, 11 April 2026).
Speakers at the Welcome Back Artemis 2 event: Norm Knight, Jared Isaacman, Vanessa Wyche, Lisa Campbell, Brian Babin and Michael Cloud,Huston, Texas, USA (NASA, 11 April 2026).
Watch the full video “Artemis II Crew returns to Huston” (1hr).
--O--
Artemis 2 returns to Earth – 10 April 2026
The crew of Artemis 2 returned to Earth with a successful splashdown in the Pacific ocean in the evening of 10 April 2026.
During the Artemis 1 mission, re-entry consisted in bouncing off the atmosphere to reduce speed, resulting in 20 minutes of exposure to extreme heat, and some damage to the tiles. Learning from that experience, Artemis 2 went for a direct re-entry reducing thermal exposure to 13 minutes, which was more protective to the heat shield.
Descent and landing critical events
- Separation of the Crew Module Orion from the European Service Module (37min before splashdown).
- Orion performs a Raise Burn to position the module in correct orientation for re-entry.
- Orion begins entry into the atmosphere at 121km of altitude (13min before splashdown).
- Jettison of the Forward Bay Cover at 10km of altitude to expose parachute system.
- Parachutes: Drogues, Pilots and Main, are deployed in sequence starting at 6km, 2km and 1.5km respectively.
- Splashdown on the Pacific Ocean.
- Uprighting system deploys to stabilise the capsule on the surface.
- Recovery.
Separation from the Service Module
Separation of the Orion capsule from the Service Module was successfully completed 37min before splashdown as the crew of Artemis 2 continued their journey towards the atmosphere.
The European Service Module (ESM) was developed by the European Space Agency (ESA) and controlled from the ESA Eagle Control Room at the ESTEC facility in Noordwijk, the Netherlands.
Artemis 2 crew Christina Koch, Victor Glover, Jeremy Hansen and Reid Weisman wearing Solar Eclipse glasses on board the Orion capsule named Integrity. On the right, the outbound patch on top of the return patch. The Earth behind the crew, as seen from Orion’s window (NASA, 2026).
Visualisations: Orion Spacecraft with the Crew Module closer to Earth and the ESM with solar panels deployed.
European Service Module (ESM) main components and a view of its single AJ10-190 engine and the 8 smaller R-4D engines (ESA, 2023).
Visualisation of re-entry and monitoring of the same at Mission Control Centre during communications blackout (NASA, 2026).
Artemis 2’s Orion crew capsule near the surface and at splashdown.
US Navy ship USS John P. Murtha (www.cruisingearth.com, 2026).
Crew of Artemis 2 on inflatable boat escorted from the Orion Capsule (NASA, 10 April 2026).
Astronaut from Artemis 2 crew is air lifted to a Seahawk helicopter from the recovery inflatable boat (NASA, 10 April 2026).
MH-60S Seahawk helicopters on the platform of the Navy’s dock ship USS John P. Murtha (NASA, 10 April 2026).
Artemis 2 crew onboard USS John Murtha after recovery: Reid Wiseman, Jeremy Hansen, Victor Glover and Christina Koch (NASA, 10 April 2026).
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman welcomes the crew of Artemis 2 aboard the USS John P. Murtha (NASA, 10 April 2026).
Artemis 1 launch on 16 November 2022 (NASA, 2022).
Artemis 1: Left: Orion looking back at the Earth, 16 November. Right: Orion approaching the Moon, 20 November 2022 (NASA, 2022).
Artemis 1: Orion closest to the Moon, 04 December 2022 (NASA, 2022).
Artemis 1: Mission summary (NASA, 2022).
Mannequins: Captain Moonikin Campos on the cockpit wearing orange.
Orion capsule interior showing Captain Moonikin Campos on the pilot seat, the Callisto techno demonstration in the centre.
Solid Boosters Releasing from
Space Launch System (SLS): Top: SLS at launch. 3D model. Solid Boosters. Bottom: Core Stage rollout from the building station (NASA, 2011).