Azernews.Az

Ulviyya Poladova

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SpaceX launched a prototype of its Starship spacecraft along with its booster rocket on May 22 during its 12th test flight mission, AzerNEWS reports.

The launch was broadcast live on the social media platform X.

The rocket lifted off at 18:30 local time in Texas, which corresponds to 02:30 Baku time, from the Starbase launch site located in the US state of Texas.

The Starship S39 model is considered the first example of SpaceX’s third-generation V3 rocket series. With a height of 124 meters and a weight of approximately 8,000 tons, it is regarded as one of the largest space launch vehicles ever built.

The test flight is expected to last around one hour.

During the mission, SpaceX plans to deploy 20 Starlink satellite simulators from the spacecraft. In addition, data collection is planned using two additional satellites to scan the Starship’s heat shield and transmit the information back to Earth.

The company also aims to restart one of the Raptor engines in space as part of the test objectives.

At the end of the mission, the spacecraft is expected to land in the Indian Ocean.

This flight marks the first Starship test mission conducted in 2026, following the previous launch in October 2025.

According to SpaceX’s long-term plans, the Starship system is intended to be used for future crewed space missions, satellite deployment, and interplanetary exploration missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.

SpaceX is an American company owned by Elon Musk, which manufactures spacecraft, a provider of launch services, and offers satellite communications with headquarters at the SpaceX Starbase near Brownsville, Texas.