SpaceX's Starship Test Flight Achieves Major Success

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SpaceX’s Starship spacecraft completed its 12th test flight at Starbase, Texas, on May 22, 2026, splashing down into the Indian Ocean. The launch was largely successful, despite some minor issues, prompting cheers from SpaceX team members during a livestream. The test flight coincided with Elon Musk’s company’s efforts to prepare for what could be a historic IPO.

The colossal rocket launched just after 5:30 p.m. local time (22:30 GMT). SpaceX’s plan was not to recover the booster or the upper stage, so the splashdown was intentionally fiery but controlled, as planned. SpaceX announced on X (formerly Twitter), “Splashdown confirmed!”

The primary goal of this mission was to test the spacecraft’s new design features. The third-generation Starship executed a maneuver that flipped it upright and re-ignited its engines for control, even with one engine out of commission. It also deployed 22 dummy satellites, including two that attempted to capture images of the heat shield for analysis.

Although the vehicle coasted through space, one of its engines malfunctioned during an initial burn, resulting in a slightly off-target orbit. SpaceX’s spokesperson, Dan Huot, commented that it wasn’t “nominal orbital insertion” but was “within bounds” based on the planned trajectory. After the booster separated successfully, Huot noted it failed to complete its boost-back burn, causing it to uncontrolledly fall into the Gulf of Mexico. While not aiming to recover the booster, SpaceX was nonetheless hoping for a precise return.

CEO Elon Musk praised the team on X, calling the flight “epic” and “a goal scored for humanity.”

The flight came after a previous aborted attempt the day before, when last-minute issues—specifically the hydraulic pin that held the launch tower arm—delayed the launch. SpaceX resolved that problem overnight.

Amidst the testing, the company is under increased scrutiny, as it recently filed to go public, possibly in June, in a move that could set a record IPO.

This was Starship’s 12th flight overall, and its first in seven months. The newest design surpasses earlier versions in size, standing over 407 feet (124 meters) when fully assembled.

The progress of Starship is crucial for SpaceX’s role in NASA’s lunar ambitions. The agency contracted SpaceX to develop a modified version of Starship for lunar landings, with NASA aiming to test crewed missions to the Moon by 2027—an effort that both SpaceX and Blue Origin are racing to achieve. The Artemis program hopes to land humans on the Moon before the end of 2028, ahead of the U.S. presidential term, with significant progress still needed before Starship is fully ready for those missions.

Aerospace analyst Clayton Swope from the Center for Strategic and International Studies noted that the upgraded Starship performed most of its intended functions during the launch but emphasized that many more test flights are needed before it’s prepared for upcoming Artemis missions. NASA’s upcoming in-orbit rendezvous tests are scheduled for 2027, involving both SpaceX and Blue Origin’s lunar lander prototypes, as part of the broader timeline to achieve crewed lunar landings by 2028.

NASA’s Jared Isaacman expressed optimism before the launch, stating, “We look forward to seeing this fly, because hopefully in the near future, we’ll be joining in Earth orbit.” After the successful trial, he congratulated SpaceX on X, saying, “A hell of a V3 Starship launch,” and added, “One step closer to the Moon… one step closer to Mars.”