Starship 12 blasts off as SpaceX tests world's most powerful rocket

Starship Flight 12 launched from Starbase, Texas as a critical suborbital test of Starship Version 3. The fully reusable two-part spacecraft was not crewed and was controlled remotely. The Version 3 design incorporated improvements from earlier test flights, including more efficient and powerful Raptor 3 engines, better fuel systems, and enhanced heat protection. SpaceX aims to use this version as the lunar lander for NASA’s Artemis program, targeting astronaut missions to the moon’s surface as soon as 2028. Starship is designed to be refueled in orbit for the long journey to Mars, supporting plans to send humans and cargo to build a self-sustaining city. The flight’s goals included successful liftoff, booster separation, boostback, and a landing burn.

"Starship Flight 12 took off from the aerospace company's launching pad in Starbase, Texas Friday night. The fully reusable, two-part spacecraft, designed to carry people and cargo into space, does not have a crew and is fully controlled remotely by SpaceX. Flight 12 is testing the new Starship Version 3, the company's latest design which featured several improvements based on lessons from earlier test flights, including more efficient and powerful Raptor 3 engines, better fuel systems and more heat protection."

"Musk and his team are eyeing this version of Starship as the one NASA astronauts will use as their lunar lander for the Artemis program. It will carry astronauts to the moon's surface as soon as 2028 when Artemis IV is scheduled to take off. SpaceX's long-term dream for Starship V3 is to send both humans and cargo to Mars to build the first self-sustaining city on the Red Planet."

"Friday's test flight is a suborbital mission, meaning it will not go into full orbit, and was said by SpaceX to be the first pivotal step in testing how the new Starship's hardware behaves under real flight conditions. Starship was designed to be refueled in orbit so it can make the long journey to Mars."

"Starship 12 featured two key parts, the 'Super Heavy,' the bottom booster stage with 33 powerful Raptor engines, and the Starship, the upper part sitting on top of the booster that has its own engines. The spacecraft is what would carry astronauts to space. Overall, the rocket stands as tall as a 50-story building. The test flight had several key goals, starting with a successful liftoff from Starbase, Texas at 6.30pm ET."

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