SpaceX on Friday completed the 12th test flight of its Starship, the largest rocket system ever built.

The test, debuting a new prototype dubbed Starship V3, went largely as planned, despite some engine failures.

Starship launched from the company’s spaceport in Texas, flew for just over an hour, and then splashed down in the Indian Ocean.

According to reports in dpa, the first stage of the rocket landed in the sea near the launch site. However, because engines on both stages failed for reasons initially unknown, the test didn’t go entirely as planned.

Friday’s test flight marked the first use of Starship V3, a version of the giant rocket that, according to the company, has been completely redesigned, particularly in terms of its design and performance.

US space agency NASA hopes to use Starship to send astronauts to the moon, while billionaire company founder Elon Musk’s stated goal is for humans to reach Mars.

The Starship rocket system consists of two parts that separate after the launch: the about 70-metre-long Super Heavy booster and the upper stage, also called Starship, which measures around 50 metres.

The system has been developed so that both the spacecraft and the booster can be reused after returning to Earth.

The system was first tested in April 2023, when it exploded after a few minutes. Later tests saw the upper stage reach space and land under control in the Indian Ocean. However, several recent test flights fell well short of expectations. – May 24, 2026

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