Industry3 min read
SpaceX Launches Starship V3 for First Time, Loses Booster on Return
Tags Infrastructure · Consumer
TechCrunch · NBC News·
SpaceX successfully launched its upgraded Starship V3 rocket for the first time on May 22, 2026, marking a major milestone for the company's interplanetary ambitions, but lost the booster during its return attempt. The flight was described as mostly successful despite the booster loss.
Technical significance
Starship V3 is critical for SpaceX's Starlink Gen2 deployments, lunar lander contracts, and eventual Mars missions. The booster loss on return indicates the landing sequence still needs work, but the successful first-stage flight validates the upgraded design. Each successful iteration reduces launch costs and increases payload capacity for the entire commercial space industry.