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Starbase, Texas — SpaceX called off its planned launch of Starship Flight 12 on Thursday evening, May 21, 2026, after encountering technical issues in the final minute of the countdown. The scrub marked the first attempt to fly the significantly redesigned Version 3 (V3 or Block 3) Starship and Super Heavy vehicles.

The vehicle, consisting of Booster 19 (Super Heavy) and Ship 39 (Starship upper stage), was stacked on the company’s new Pad 2 at Starbase. This was the debut flight for the V3 configuration, which incorporates numerous upgrades including the latest evolution of Raptor engines (Raptor 3), larger grid fins, improved heat shielding, and design changes aimed at advancing full and rapid reusability.

Cosmic Chronicles journalists were present at the launch viewing event, the countdown proceeded smoothly through much of the sequence but encountered problems around T-minus 40 seconds. Issues were reported with the “quick disconnects” between the rocket and launch pad infrastructure, as well as a hydraulic pin related to the tower arm. After multiple holds and troubleshooting attempts, SpaceX stood down with insufficient time remaining in the launch window.

Elon Musk noted on X that the hydraulic pin holding the tower arm did not react as expected. “The hydraulic pin holding the tower arm in place did not retract. If that can be fixed tonight, there will be another launch attempt tomorrow at 5:30 CT,” he wrote in a post.

Mission objectives for Flight 12 include demonstrating the performance of the new hardware in flight. The Super Heavy booster was planned to perform a boostback burn and controlled splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico. The Starship upper stage was slated for a suborbital trajectory, deploying 22 Starlink simulator satellites (dummy payloads similar in size to next-generation Starlink), conducting in-space engine relights, and targeting a splashdown in the Indian Ocean.

This flight follows more than a seven-month hiatus since the previous Starship test and represents a major step in the program’s development toward operational reusability, satellite deployment, and eventual crewed missions to the Moon and Mars.

SpaceX has indicated the next launch attempt could occur as early as Friday, May 22, 2026, with a 90-minute window opening around 5:30 p.m. CT (6:30 p.m. ET), pending resolution of the issue and regulatory approvals.

The company continues to iterate rapidly on the Starship system, which is central to its long-term ambitions, including supporting NASA’s Artemis Moon program and enabling human exploration of Mars.

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