TLDR
- SpaceX completed a full-duration static fire test of the Starship V3 upper stage on April 14 at Starbase, Texas
- A second test of the Super Heavy booster, with 33 engines, followed on April 15
- The V3 stands over 408 feet tall and can carry more than 100 tons to low Earth orbit
- The upcoming flight will be the 12th overall Starship test and the first for the V3 configuration
- Starship is contracted by NASA to serve as a lunar lander for the Artemis Moon program
SpaceX has completed two key pre-launch tests of its next-generation Starship rocket, moving the program closer to a planned May flight.
First 33-engine static fire for Super Heavy V3 pic.twitter.com/m3swZHF7iQ
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) April 16, 2026
The company fired the upper stage of its Starship V3 on April 14 at its Starbase facility in South Texas. The following day, it completed a static fire of the Super Heavy booster, lighting up all 33 of its engines while the rocket stayed secured to the launch pad.
Both tests were described as full-duration burns, meaning the engines ran for their full planned time without early shutdown.
SpaceX confirmed the upper stage test was the first of its kind for the Version 3 vehicle. Engineers will now review data on engine performance, fuel delivery, and vehicle stability before clearing the rocket for its next phase of testing.
An earlier attempt to test the V3 booster had ended early due to a problem with ground support equipment. The successful April 15 test removes that obstacle.
What Makes Starship V3 Different
The V3 is larger and more powerful than previous versions. When fully stacked, it stands 124 meters, or just over 408 feet tall. It can carry more than 100 tons of cargo to low Earth orbit.
That payload capacity is nearly three times what the earlier version could manage. The improvement comes from a new generation of Raptor engines fitted to both the upper stage and the Super Heavy booster.
The upcoming flight will officially be the 12th test mission for the Starship program overall, but the first for the V3 configuration.
Elon Musk said on April 3 that the next flight test was “4 to 6 weeks away,” which points to a launch window in early to mid-May.
NASA’s Moon Plans Depend on Starship
Starship plays a central role in NASA’s Artemis program, which aims to return astronauts to the Moon. SpaceX is contracted to develop a Human Landing System using Starship, alongside Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin, which is building the Blue Moon lander.
NASA completed a lunar flyby earlier this month, sending four astronauts around the Moon for the first time in over 50 years. The first crewed surface landing is currently targeted for late 2028 as part of Artemis IV.
However, delays to Starship have already pushed back that timeline. The mission was originally scheduled for December 2025.
Members of NASA’s Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel have said that fundamental challenges remain with Starship’s Human Landing System. They noted that the next six months of Starship launches will likely determine whether the system can carry a crew before 2030.
Former NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine told a Senate Committee in September that without changes, the US is unlikely to beat China’s projected timeline to the Moon’s surface.
No official launch date has been confirmed for the next flight test.
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