Elon Musk gives an updated timeline for 1st Starship launch of 2026
Elon Musk has suggested that SpaceX's next Starship rocket launch could occur in early March 2026. Here's what we know about Flight 12.
www.usatoday.comI don’t have live access to current feeds in this moment, but here’s what the latest publicly reported status was around Starship Flight 12 in May 2026, based on recent coverage.
Direct answer
- Flight 12, SpaceX’s Starship test with the new V3 configuration, had multiple scheduling updates in May 2026 and was targeted for liftoff around May 21–22, 2026, after earlier slips, with final checks and weather as the primary variables.[1][2][7]
Context and what changed recently
- SpaceX and independent outlets reported a series of reschedules in the days leading up to Flight 12, shifting targets from May 19 to May 21–22 as engineers worked through technical readiness, weather, and range coordination.[2][4][1]
- The mission reportedly involved Ship 39 on the Starship V3 stack, with one of six engines available during ascent due to earlier issues, and the booster stage handling separation with mixed outcomes in related test narratives.[1]
- Coverage highlighted Flight 12 as a significant data point for SpaceX’s long-term plan, including high-mressure testing of Starship variants and the broader cadence toward lunar and cis-lunar missions.[2]
Notes on sources
- Coverage from Space.com provided live-style updates on the target windows, engine status, and trajectory commentary for Starship Flight 12.[1]
- Spaceflight-focused outlets and aggregators captured the cadence of delays and the shift toward a Thursday/Friday window in mid-to-late May 2026.[4][2]
- Mainstream outlets also carried timelines suggesting early 2026 timelines for first launches of the year, but with continued caveats about readiness and weather.[7]
Would you like a concise timeline of the Flight 12 schedule updates and the key technical milestones SpaceX aimed to achieve with the Starship V3, or a quick summary of the publicly reported outcomes if/when the flight actually occurred? I can also pull in more details about the V3 design changes and why Flight 12 was considered pivotal.