When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission.Credit: SpaceXThe tallest rocket ever built is now standing on its launch pad ahead of its next mission.SpaceX is about to debut Version 3 (V3) of its giant Starship rocket, which is poised to launch on the vehicle’s 12th test flight. The rocket’s two halves, the Super Heavy booster and Ship upper stage, were stacked yesterday (May 19) at the newly-built pad at SpaceX’s Starbase facility in South Texas. Starship V3 is scheduled to launch no earlier than 6:30 p.m. EDT (2230 GMT) on May 21.AdvertisementAdvertisementIt’s the second time the two stages have been mated in the last several days, as SpaceX has rolled Ship to and from its Starbase hangar for extensive prelaunch checkouts and tests. Super Heavy has undergone its own assessments in recent weeks, including test firings of the booster’s 33 Raptor 3 engines.SpaceX shared photos of yesterday’s Starship stack in a post on X, and conducted a final wet dress rehearsal on the vehicle, fully fueling both stages and running through a simulated launch countdown leading to the moments just before engine ignition. That was completed Wednesday (May 20).SpaceXSpaceXSpaceXSpaceXAdvertisementAdvertisementStarship stacked on the pad at Starbase pic.twitter.com/aYM9xw8BVj— @SpaceX (May 20, 2026)Voir le tweet originalStarship Flight 12 will be a suborbital launch, with soft landing splashdowns in the Gulf of Mexico and Indian Ocean for Ship and Super Heavy, respectively, rather than a return to Starbase for recovery and reuse. Ultimately, SpaceX has designed Starship for full reusability, and has successfully recovered Super Heavies using the launch tower’s “chopstick” arms to catch the booster in midair, but has not yet attempted a catch of the Ship upper stage. Though, depending on the outcome of this first V3 test flight, SpaceX could potentially attempt such a recovery on the upcoming Flight 13 or 14.You can watch Starship Flight 12 live on May 21, with streams available on …
