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?
Documentary: Test like you fly.
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. Vent valves and filters for booster fluid relocated to isolate Oxygen from Methane for safety.
- A new flame trench with bidirectional flame diverter and deflector re-designed to eliminate ablation, built 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.
Launch Pad 2: New development with a taller base and a propellant farm.Note Grass-hopper original SpaceX Rocket in the carpark (SpaceX, 2026).
Starlink Satellite Network
Stack of satellites inside Starship’s hull.Note two of the four docking drogues
under the satellite deployment door (SpaceX, 2026).
Two of the released dummy-satellites were tech demonstrations with instruments at both ends, therefore named “dodger dogs”.
The new instruments tested v3 components and included cameras that provided video of the deployment and views of the outside of Starship (see above). Future instruments will allow inspection of 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.
Starlink’s Orbital Network extended to the Moon for laser communications with the Earth (SpaceX, 2026).
Orbital Data Centres
Elon Musk provided a view into the future of orbital space and the harnessing of solar power.
“By directly harnessing near-constant solar power with little operating or maintenance costs, these satellites will transform our ability to scale compute. It’s always sunny in space! Launching a constellation of a million satellites that operate as orbital data centres is a first step towards becoming a Kardashev II-level civilization, one that can harness the Sun’s full power, while supporting AI-driven applications for billions of people today and ensuring humanity’s multi-planetary future” (Elon Musk, 2026).
More about Elon Musk’s views on data centres in upcoming posts.
Test like you fly
SpaceX presents the evolution of Spaceship in the documentary "Test Like You Fly" (25min).
Watch the epic journey of Starship up to Test Flight 12 (SpaceX, 2026) (25min)(Click the image to open the link in a new tab or window).
REFERENCES
» Leone A (2026) FAA grounds SpaceX’s Starship after booster malfunction. MyNews13, 27 May 2026. [Online article]. Available at MyNews13.com. Accessed: 04 June 2026.
» Low L (2026) Artemis II Crew Arrives at Launch Site, Shares Moon Mascot. NASA, Missions, 27 March 2026. [Online article]. Available at NASA.gov. Accessed: 30 March 2026.
» NASA (2026) NASA's Artemis II Crew Comes Home (Official Broadcast). NASA, 10 April 2026. [Online video]. Available at YouTube.com. Accessed: 10 April 2026.
» Rees J (2025) Starbase Pad 2: Design Advancements from Pad 1. Nasaspaceflight (NSF), 19 August 2025. [Online article]. Available at nasaspaceflight.com. Accessed: 07 June 2026.
» SpaceX (2026) Liftoff of Starship. “X” Post, 22 May 2026. [Social Media Post]. Available at X.com. Accessed: 24 May 2026.
» SpaceX (2026) Views of Starship in space from a @Starlink satellite. “X” Post, 23 May 2026. [Social Media Post]. Available at X.com. Accessed: 24 May 2026.
» SpaceX (2026) Updates. SpaceX blog. [Online articles]. Available at SpaceX.com. Accessed: 24 May 2026.
» Storyful (2026) Starbase seen from the sky ahead of SpaceX Launch. Yahoo! News [Online article]. Available at Yahoo.com. Accessed: 02 June 2026.
== END of SpaceX’s Starship Flight Test 12 – 22 May 2026 ==
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