SpaceX is gearing up for a monumental week in spaceflight.
Today, May 21, 2026, SpaceX will finally launch its massive Starship for its twelfth integrated flight test (IFT-12). This launch marks the official debut of the upgraded Starship V3 configuration.
When is the Launch?
SpaceX is targeting today, Thursday, May 21, 2026.
The 90-minute launch window will open at 5:30 pm CDT (6:30 pm EDT / 22:30 UTC). As is standard for all aerospace launches, whether by NASA or SpaceX, scheduling around launch times is dynamic.
Update: SpaceX has now moved the launch to 6:30 pm CDT. The time has been updated below.
Starship V3 - Integrated Flight Test 12
-
Your Time
- Pacific Time: May 21, 4:30 PM
- Eastern Time: May 21, 7:30 PM
- UTC: May 21, 11:30 PM
- London, England: May 22, 12:30 AM
- Berlin, Germany: May 22, 1:30 AM
- Sydney, Australia: May 22, 9:30 AM
Time Until Launch
Changing weather conditions or a last-minute technical check coming back red could cause delays or even scrub the launch.
Where to Watch Live
You can watch the stream live below:
Watch Starship's twelfth flight test https://t.co/wxna6dy4Lh
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) May 21, 2026
SpaceX will be live-streaming the event across its usual social media platforms, with the official webcast scheduled to begin approximately 45 minutes before liftoff.
You can watch on the official @SpaceX account, or head over to SpaceX YouTube, or the official SpaceX website to watch the launch.
What to Expect: V3 Debut
Flight 12 is a huge advancement in the Starship program. It will be the first time SpaceX flies the new V3 architecture (what’s new in V3).
Tesla has shared its goal for the launch in the video below:
Starship’s flight trajectory for today’s test pic.twitter.com/YzUBc4GdqL
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) May 21, 2026
This heavily upgraded iteration of Starship is larger, features significant structural improvements and increased fuel capacity, and includes the next-generation Raptor 3 engines. The launch will also mark the first liftoff from the newly constructed Pad 2 at Starbase in Boca Chica, Texas.
During the suborbital flight, SpaceX will focus on several testing objectives. However, since this is the first flight of a significantly redesigned ship, SpaceX will not be catching the booster. Instead, it will be safely expended in the Gulf of Mexico and retrieved following its water landing.
Starship V3, on the other hand, will conduct a payload simulator deployment, with 20 simulated Starlink satellites. Two of the simulators are modified to scan Starship’s heat shield and transmit live imagery back to SpaceX for analysis. SpaceX’s team has also removed a single heat tile to measure aerodynamic and thermal stress during reentry.
Finally, before Starship splashes down in the ocean, it will perform a banking reentry maneuver to mimic the trajectory required for a chopstick catch at Starbase for future missions.
