Starship Test: Two Steps Forward, One Step Back
The latest Starship test flight by SpaceX yielded mixed results, showcasing both successes and failures. The spacecraft performed well, achieving its flightpath and landing successfully, despite an engine failure. However, the booster experienced significant issues, raising concerns about the reliability of the new Raptor 3 engines critical for future missions.
- ▪The twelfth Starship test flight was the first to incorporate new designs for the booster, spacecraft, and engines.
- ▪The Starship spacecraft performed better than previous versions, successfully deploying test satellites and landing intact.
- ▪The booster flight faced problems due to a Raptor 3 engine explosion, indicating potential issues with the new engine design.
- ▪SpaceX's progress is crucial for NASA's moon landing plans, emphasizing the need for timely advancements.
- ▪The Artemis program also faces challenges, with other components like the Orion capsule experiencing their own issues.
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Starship Test: Two Steps Forward, One Step Back David Strom 3:30 PM | May 23, 2026 SpaceX via AP I wanted to follow up on John's post from yesterday about the latest Starship test flight, the twelfth so far. As John noted, the flight was a mixed bag. Some things went remarkably well, while other things that had been working well before went off the rails. Advertisement googletag.cmd.push(function () { googletag.display("div-gpt-300x250_4"); //googletag.pubads().refresh([gptAdSlot["div-gpt-300x250_4"]]) }); Although this was nominally the 12th test flight, it was actually the first test of new designs for the booster, spacecraft, and engines. In many important ways, it was the first test flight of a new spacecraft, drawing on lessons learned from prior versions of all these systems.
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