Elon Musk gives an updated timeline for 1st Starship launch of 2026
Elon Musk has suggested that SpaceX's next Starship rocket launch could occur in early March 2026. Here's what we know about Flight 12.
www.usatoday.comI don’t have live access to current feeds at the moment, but here’s what the latest reporting indicated about SpaceX Starship Flight 12, based on recent public updates.
Direct answer
- Flight 12, featuring the Starship V3, had multiple scheduling revisions and was slated for a May 2026 window from SpaceX’s Starbase in Texas, with subsequent updates suggesting further delays to a later date in May or into early June, as lessoned by technical readiness and weather considerations.
Context and what changed
- Early reporting in May 2026 highlighted that SpaceX was targeting a May 22 window after prior scrubs, with discussions of a 6:30 p.m. Central Time liftoff and a 90-minute window, though weather or technical issues caused rescheduling.[1]
- Industry outlets and mission trackers later indicated Friday-to-Thursday slips, moving the target into the latter half of May, and then into an evening slot (May 21–22 timeframe) as stacked readiness progressed, reflecting typical Starship test cadence and cautious persistence by SpaceX.[2][3]
- Coverage from YouTube streams and space-news outlets in late May and into May 22 suggested Flight 12 remained a high-priority test for the V3 vehicle, with emphasis on testing the upgraded booster and ship hardware, as well as anticipated splashdown profiles for the upper stage in the Indian Ocean off Western Australia about an hour after launch, and the booster splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico—though actual liftoff did not occur on the initial target dates in some reports.[4][6]
What to watch for next
- Official SpaceX updates from Starbase (X/Twitter and.spacex.com) for the exact liftoff window, any new contingencies, and confirmation of launch date.
- Spaceflight news aggregators and credible outlets (e.g., Space.com, NASASpaceFlight, LabPadre reporting) for post-delay rationale, pad readiness status, and any changes to the Starship V3 configuration or mission profile.
- If you’re following for live events, check dedicated flight streams or reputable coverage shortly before the announced window for real-time status.
Illustrative note
- Flight 12 is part of SpaceX’s push to demonstrate a fully reusable high-m mass-capable system with Starship V3, including the new booster/upper-stage hardware, which is intended to advance rapid reuse and eventual lunar/Mars cargo missions.
If you’d like, I can monitor for updates and summarize the latest confirmed launch window with direct citations from current outlets, or pull a concise timeline of the key revisions for Flight 12.