Flight 12
Starship V3. Orbital Launch Pad 2, SpaceX Starbase, TX, USA.
Launch Successful
- Recovery
- Booster 19: Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, failed
- S39: Ocean, Indian Ocean, successful
1 Landed, 1 Lost
- Your Time
- UTC
- At the Pad
Flight 12
SpaceX
Mission
Test Flight, Suborbital
12th test flight of the two-stage Starship launch vehicle. Maiden Flight of Starship V3. The flight test’s primary goal will be to demonstrate each of these new pieces in the flight environment for the first time, with each element of the Starship architecture featuring significant redesigns to enable full and rapid reuse that incorporate learnings from years of development and test. The Starship upper stage will target multiple in-space and reentry objectives, including a payload deployment of 20 Starlink simulators, similar in size to next-generation Starlink V3 satellites, and two specially modified Starlink satellites. The two modified satellites will test hardware planned for Starlink V3 and will attempt to scan Starship’s heat shield and transmit imagery down to operators to test methods of analyzing Starship’s heat shield readiness for return to launch site on future missions. Several tiles on Starship have been painted white to simulate missing tiles and serve as imaging targets in the test. The Starlink simulators will be on the same suborbital trajectory as Starship. A relight of a single Raptor engine while in space is also planned. For Starship entry, a single heat shield tile has been intentionally removed to measure the aerodynamic load differences on adjacent tiles when there is a tile missing. Finally, the ship will perform experimental actions tested on previous flight tests, including a maneuver to intentionally stress the structural limits of the vehicle’s rear flaps and a dynamic banking maneuver to mimic the trajectory that future missions returning to Starbase will fly.
Countdown Sequence
Planned offsets from T-0; confirmations link to their sources
Sequence Ended · Success
- T−00:50:00
GO for Prop Load
Launch director verifies go for propellant load
Planned Time Elapsed
- T−00:38:53
Stage 2 LOX Load
Start of liquid oxygen loading in the second stage
Planned Time Elapsed
- T−00:35:00
Stage 1 LOX Load
Start of liquid oxygen loading in the first stage
Planned Time Elapsed
- T−00:34:43
Stage 1 LNG Load
Start of liquid methane loading in the first stage
Planned Time Elapsed
- T−00:32:59
Stage 2 LNG Load
Start of liquid methane loading in the second stage
Planned Time Elapsed
- T−00:21:30
Engine Chill
Start of engine chilling
Planned Time Elapsed
- T−00:02:50
Stage 1 Propellant Load Complete
End of propellant loading in the first stage
Planned Time Elapsed
- T−00:02:10
Stage 2 Propellant Load Complete
End of propellant loading in the second stage
Planned Time Elapsed
- T−00:00:30
GO for Launch
Launch director verifies go for launch
Planned Time Elapsed
- T−00:00:17
Flame Deflector Activation
Activation of the flame deflector ahead of engine ignition
Planned Time Elapsed
- T−00:00:03
Ignition
Start of the engine ignition sequence
Planned Time Elapsed
- T+00:00:00
Excitement Guaranteed
Excitement guaranteed
Planned Time Elapsed
- T+00:00:00
- T+00:00:45
Max-Q
Maximum dynamic pressure
Planned Time Elapsed
- T+00:02:22
MECO
Cut-off of the main engine
Planned Time Elapsed
- T+00:02:24
Stage 2 Separation
Separation of the second stage from the first
Planned Time Elapsed
- T+00:02:30
Booster Boostback Burn Startup
Start of the booster boostback burn
Planned Time Elapsed
- T+00:03:30
Booster Boostback Burn Shutdown
End of the booster boostback burn
Planned Time Elapsed
- T+00:06:34
Stage 1 Landing Burn
Start of the first stage landing burn
Planned Time Elapsed
- T+00:06:59
Stage 1 Landing
Landing of the first stage
Planned Time Elapsed
- T+00:08:11
SECO-1
First cut-off of the second engine
Planned Time Elapsed
- T+00:17:37
Payload Deployment Sequence Start
Start of the payload deployment sequence
Planned Time Elapsed
- T+00:27:15
Payload Deployment Sequence End
End of the payload deployment sequence.
Planned Time Elapsed
- T+00:38:37
SEB-2
2nd burn of the second engine
Planned Time Elapsed
- T+00:47:47
Atmospheric Entry
Start of the atmospheric re-entry
Planned Time Elapsed
- T+01:02:29
Starship Transonic
Starship passing through the transonic regime
Planned Time Elapsed
- T+01:03:08
Starship Subsonic
Starship reaches a subsonic velocity
Planned Time Elapsed
- T+01:05:06
Starship Landing Burn
Start of the Starship orbital stage landing burn
Planned Time Elapsed
- T+01:05:08
Landing Flip
Flip maneuver to set the orientation for landing
Planned Time Elapsed
- T+01:05:17
Starship Landing
Landing of the Starship orbital stage
Planned Time Elapsed
- T+01:05:24
Starship Landing
Landing of the Starship orbital stage
Planned Time Elapsed
- T+01:05:26
Starship Landing
Landing of the Starship orbital stage
Planned Time Elapsed
Change Log
Detected changes and source updates
Successful liftoff and ascent of Starship and Super Heavy, placing Ship 39 on a valid suborbital trajectory
Liftoff.
Unofficial Re-stream by SPACE AFFAIRS has started
Updated launch weather, 85% GO.
Launch time is to the second.
Confirmed rescheduled for May 22.
Next attempt NET May 22.
Scrub for the day after hold at T-40.
Unofficial Re-stream by SPACE AFFAIRS has started
Now targeting May 21 at 23:30 UTC
Tweaked T-0.
Now targeting May 21 at 23:00 UTC
Tweaked T-0.
Updated launch weather, 55% GO.
Now targeting May 21 at 22:30 UTC
Now targeting May 20 at 22:30 UTC
GO for launch.
NET May 19, TBC.
NET May 15 per new marine navigation warnings, TBC.
NET May 12, TBC.
NET May.
NET April
Targeting March
Moved to NET Q1 based on vehicle testing progress.
NET January.
Added launch