SpaceX successfully launched and landed its upgraded Starship V3 rocket on its first test flight, marking a significant improvement over previous versions that failed during their maiden launches. The 408-foot-tall rocket, the largest ever built, completed its mission by splashing down in the Indian Ocean as planned. The successful test represents a major milestone for SpaceX's ambitious space exploration goals and its partnership with NASA for future lunar missions.
Background
SpaceX's Starship is a fully reusable spacecraft and super heavy-lift launch vehicle being developed for missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond. Previous versions of Starship experienced failures during their initial test flights in 2023 and 2025.
- Source
- Ars Technica
- Published
- May 24, 2026 at 01:54 AM
- Score
- 8.0 / 10