SpaceX Targets Mid-March for Upgraded Starship Test Flight
▼ Summary
– The first test of SpaceX’s larger, more powerful Starship V3 rocket is now scheduled for mid-March.
– This new version is critical for launching heavier Starlink satellites and for orbital docking, which is necessary for missions to the moon or Mars.
– SpaceX is developing Starship under pressure to support NASA’s goal of returning U.S. astronauts to the moon, while also preparing for a company IPO.
– The program has faced setbacks, including a booster explosion during testing in November and previous issues with the V2 version during its development.
– Competition is increasing as Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket has begun flying and a larger version is in development to rival Starship.
SpaceX has announced a new target for the inaugural test flight of its significantly upgraded Starship rocket, with CEO Elon Musk indicating a mid-March launch window. This third iteration, known as Starship V3, represents a major leap forward in size, power, and capability. The vehicle is not only designed to launch the company’s heavier, more advanced Starlink satellites for faster internet speeds but is also the first version engineered for orbital docking with other Starships, a critical requirement for future crewed missions to the moon and Mars.
The development push occurs against a backdrop of strategic urgency. SpaceX is preparing for a potential public offering this year and is simultaneously under political pressure to support NASA’s goal of returning American astronauts to the lunar surface before the end of a potential second Trump term. As the most powerful launch system ever built, Starship is central to these ambitions. Progress toward a late 2025 launch was disrupted, however, by a significant testing incident last November. During ground tests, an explosion severely damaged the booster stage’s steel structure. While SpaceX attributed the event to a “gas system pressure testing” anomaly, a comprehensive public analysis of the failure’s root cause remains pending.
The company is eager to transition from the second version of Starship, which delivered a combination of breakthroughs and setbacks. Starship V2 successfully achieved orbit, deployed prototype next-generation Starlink satellites, and demonstrated the precision landing and recovery of its booster. Yet, it also experienced several high-profile failures, including a dramatic fireball during a ground test in June. This iterative “test-fly-fail-fix” approach is intrinsic to SpaceX’s development philosophy, deliberately pushing hardware to its limits to accelerate learning, though it sometimes results in unexpected and spectacular malfunctions.
Maintaining its hard-won dominance of the global launch market is a key driver for SpaceX, with Starship positioned as the vehicle to secure that lead for decades. However, competitive pressures are mounting. Rival Blue Origin successfully launched its New Glenn mega-rocket twice in 2025, delivering a NASA payload and achieving a booster landing on its second flight. A third launch is planned for late February, with lunar lander missions to follow. While currently smaller than Starship, Blue Origin has confirmed it is developing a larger variant of New Glenn intended to compete directly with SpaceX’s super-heavy launch system, signaling an intensifying race for space supremacy.
(Source: TechCrunch)
