Starship Test Flight 12
Starship Test Flight 12 aimed to test new hardware under similar conditions to the previous flight. The launch faced initial delays due to a fueling issue but ultimately proceeded successfully. While the flight experienced some engine failures, the payload deployment was successful, although the landing ended with an explosion in the ocean.
- ▪The flight tested a new ship, booster, engines, and launch pad.
- ▪The launch was delayed due to a problem with the retractable fueling arm.
- ▪The rocket launched successfully but lost one engine mid-flight.
- ▪The payload deployment of 22 dummy satellites was successful.
- ▪The ship exploded upon landing in the ocean.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
Starship Test Flight 12 John Sexton 9:20 PM | May 22, 2026 AP Photo/Eric Gay The plan for Starship flight test 12 was pretty simple. Do all the things you did on flight test 11 but with a new ship, new booster, new engines and a new launch pad. The goal is to see how all the new hardware performs under essentially the same conditions as the last test flight. That means no catch of the booster, just a plan for a water landing. The ship is intended to enter orbit, deploy some mock satellites, and then water land in the Indian Ocean.
…
Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at HotAir.
