NEWS — Raptor 3 engines RSS

Super Heavy V3 testing at Starbase has successfully completed its initial campaign, including Pad 2 activation and the first cryogenic fueling of a V3 booster. All Raptor 3 engines ignited during a partial static fire, paving the way for a full 33-engine test and the upcoming Starship Flight 12.

SpaceX has begun Starbase Pad 2 testing, marking a major step forward in the development of the Starship launch system. The campaign will activate the new launch pad, test propellant loading systems, and operate Super Heavy Booster 19 equipped with Raptor 3 engines for the first time. These tests are essential preparations for the upcoming Starship Flight 12, which will debut the next-generation Block 3 version of the rocket and bring SpaceX closer to its goal of fully reusable space transportation.

Cryoproof operations complete for the first time with a Super Heavy V3 booster after a multi-day cryogenic proof test at SpaceX’s Starbase in Texas. The successful validation of redesigned propellant systems and structural integrity brings the Block 3 Super Heavy booster closer to static fire tests and a potential integrated Starship V3 flight later this year.