SpaceX has scrubbed the first launch of its third-generation Starship rocket system from its headquarters in Starbase, Texas, and will attempt another launch on Friday. This launch is significant as it is the first test of the upgraded Starship V3 hardware and comes at a crucial moment for the company as it has recently filed for an IPO and is expected to go public within weeks.
This upcoming launch will mark Starship’s 12th flight since the last attempt in October 2025. SpaceX has spent the intervening months working on the development and testing of Starship V3, which faced multiple challenges, including a November incident where a V3 booster exploded during testing.
The company had to postpone Thursday’s liftoff several times, with the countdown reaching T-40 seconds before issues arose. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk reported via social media that a hydraulic pin holding the launch tower arm in place did not retract. If this issue is resolved, SpaceX plans to launch again on Friday at 5:30 p.m. local time.
The hydraulic pin holding the tower arm in place did not retract.
If that can be fixed tonight, there will be another launch attempt tomorrow at 5:30 CT. https://t.co/DJAdvDYQpH
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 21, 2026
The upgraded Starship features significant design changes, including improvements to SpaceX’s third-generation Raptor engines, which are aimed at producing more thrust. The new booster design has one fewer grid fin, which is intended to make it easier for the launch tower to catch it during recovery operations.
SpaceX has implemented various modifications to enhance the reliability of this version of Starship, especially in preventing propellant leaks from the upper stage, a recurring problem in past flights. The long-term goal remains full reusability, akin to the Falcon 9 rocket.
This flight will not achieve all of Starship V3’s performance goals, as recovery of both the booster and the vehicle is not planned. Instead, both are expected to perform soft landings, the booster in the Atlantic Ocean and Starship in the Indian Ocean. Additionally, Starship will not conduct a true Earth orbit, requiring more missions to establish its payload delivery capabilities.
SpaceX’s reliance on Starship V3 is high, particularly given its substantial investment in Starlink, which reportedly generated $11 billion in revenue last year. The company has previously demonstrated Starship’s capacity to deploy dummy Starlink satellites but has not yet launched a functional payload with the new system.
