The Starship program is entering a pivotal development phase, with the twelfth test flight poised to be one of SpaceX’s most significant milestones to date. After months of enhancements and upgrades, Flight 12 (IFT-12) will introduce a nearly complete new generation of the Starship system: a fresh Super Heavy booster, a new Ship, an evolved Raptor engine design, and the updated Launch Pad 2 at Starbase.
The launch is currently slated for 00:30 Italian time on May 22nd (17:30 local time on May 21st in Texas). However, weather conditions are being closely monitored, with a 55% probability of favorable weather as of the morning of May 21st.
The official live broadcast will commence approximately 30 minutes before liftoff on SpaceX’s official channels and the company’s X account.
Join us for a live stream of the launch on Astrospace’s YouTube channel, starting at 21:00 Italian time on May 21st.
Why You Should Watch This Test Launch
Flight 12 is particularly crucial because, for the first time, SpaceX will test virtually the entire new architecture of the Starship system in real-world conditions. This is not merely another suborbital test; it’s a necessary mission to evaluate the performance of a new generation of the vehicle before its future orbital flights.
In recent tests, SpaceX has successfully demonstrated several core capabilities, including engine ignition, stage separation, Ship reentry control, and Super Heavy’s return maneuvers towards the launch tower. However, in the last few flights, booster capture has been omitted to allow for more complex and experimental reentry profiles.
During Flight 12, the Super Heavy will not attempt a return to the Mechazilla arms. SpaceX’s priority is to gather data on the performance of the new booster version, updated Raptor engines, and the new Starbase infrastructure before resuming mid-air capture attempts.
The booster is expected to complete its ascent, stage separation, boostback burn, and landing burn, with a splashdown planned in the Gulf of Mexico. The entire sequence is designed to verify the reliability of the new hardware throughout all dynamic flight phases.
New Ship Tests
The new Starship, in its V3 configuration, also has several significant objectives. Among these will be the deployment of 22 Starlink simulators, designed to match the dimensions of future next-generation Starlink satellites.
The final two simulators will serve a different purpose: for the first time, they will be used to observe the Starship’s heat shield during atmospheric reentry and transmit images to ground control. SpaceX aims to test a potential in-flight external inspection system, a capability that could be vital for future returns to Starbase and for fully reusable missions.
SpaceX has also prepared several experiments focused on the heat shield. We discussed these in detail, along with the differences compared to the V2 version, in this video.
During the mission, a Raptor engine restart in space is also planned – a capability tested in previous flights but never with the new Raptor 3 generation. This test is critical for future orbital missions and for the maneuvers Starship will need to perform in space.
The twelfth flight could be one of the last major suborbital tests for the Starship program before transitioning to orbital missions. For this reason, SpaceX is concentrating numerous essential tests for the system’s operational future into this single mission.
During atmospheric reentry, the Ship will also perform several maneuvers previously tested in earlier flights, including controlled stress on the aft flaps and a dynamic turn designed to simulate the trajectory that could, in the future, bring Starship back to Starbase for a mid-air capture.
When to Watch Test Flight 12
Flight 12 will therefore be far more than just a simple test; it will be a comprehensive evaluation of the new Starship generation and the infrastructure SpaceX has built to make the system rapidly and fully reusable.
Currently, the planned launch date is May 21st at 17:30 Texas time, which translates to 00:30 on May 22nd in Italy. However, the weather forecast for the launch is only 55% favorable, and conditions are expected to worsen over the coming days. Additionally, May 25th is a national holiday in the United States (Memorial Day), so if a postponement occurs tonight, the launch will likely be pushed to the following week. This is not yet confirmed.
We will provide all updates on postponements and flight preparations on our Telegram and WhatsApp channels.
