USA Revamped giant Starship rocket completes test flight
A completely redesigned version of the largest rocket system ever built has completed a twelfth test flight largely according to plan - despite some engines failing. The Starship, developed by tech billionaire Elon Musk's aerospace company SpaceX, took off from the company's spaceport in the US state of Texas, flew through space for a while and then landed in the middle of a fireball in the Indian Ocean around an hour later as planned.
23.05.2026, 02:39
SDA
The lower stage of the rocket landed in the sea near the launch site. The launching of satellites was also simulated again during the flight. However, because engines failed on both rocket stages for an initially unknown reason, the test could not proceed completely as planned. This test flight was the first time that "Version 3" of the Starship was used, a completely revised version of the giant rocket in terms of design and performance, among other things, according to the company.
The US space agency NASA wants to use the Starship to send astronauts to the moon, while SpaceX is pursuing the goal of one day using it to reach Mars.
Rocket system of superlatives
The Starship rocket system is taller than the Statue of Liberty in New York. It consists of two parts that separate after launch: The Super Heavy booster, which is around 70 meters long, and the upper stage - also called Starship - which measures around 50 meters. Both parts are designed so that they can be reused at some point after returning to earth.
The rocket system was tested for the first time in April 2023 - and exploded completely after just a few minutes. In further tests, the upper stage reached the edge of space and even made a controlled landing in the Indian Ocean. However, several test flights have already fallen well short of expectations.
SpaceX wants to raise fresh capital on the stock market
Musk's company SpaceX, which recently posted losses in the billions, wants to go public this year. According to media reports, SpaceX is aiming for a valuation of around two trillion dollars. With expected proceeds of up to 80 billion dollars, it would be the largest IPO by far. The prerequisite for this is likely to be that investors believe in Musk's bold visions despite ongoing losses: among other things, he envisions a settlement on Mars, a city on the moon and AI data centers in space.
