A confluence of key space events is anticipated in early March, with the potential launch of NASA’s Artemis II mission, carrying a crew around the Moon, coinciding with the planned flight of SpaceX’s next-generation Starship, designated FT-12. The Artemis II mission, and the Starship FT-12 launch, are currently slated for the first half of March, though the exact date for the Starship launch remains unconfirmed.
The FT-12 mission will mark the debut flight of the Starship V3, featuring both the Super Heavy B19 booster and the ship S39. This iteration represents a significant advancement over the Block 2 version, which concluded its test flight program with flight 11 in autumn 2025, according to sources familiar with the program. The shift to V3 signals a move towards production-ready, super-heavy launch vehicles.
A central technological innovation of the V3 is the integration of Raptor 3 engines, powered by liquid methane. Unlike previous Raptor generations, which required external shielding to protect components from heat, the Raptor 3 utilizes a 3D-printed construction that integrates secondary flow paths and implements regenerative cooling for all exposed parts. This design simplifies the propulsion section of the Super Heavy booster, reducing weight by hundreds of kilograms per engine and shortening maintenance times between flights, SpaceX has claimed.
The V3 also features an evolved Super Heavy first-stage fuselage, designed to reduce weight and aerodynamic drag during atmospheric ascent. This is crucial for maximizing the amount of methane and oxygen that Starship can carry to orbit, where it will serve as a refueling station for subsequent missions. This capability is essential for the Artemis III mission, which will rely on a specially modified Starship Human Landing System (HLS) to transport astronauts from lunar orbit to the Moon’s surface.
Further refinements include a reduction in the number of grid fins on the booster, coupled with increased strength and surface area. These changes will facilitate capture by the “Mechazilla” launch tower, which previously relied on welded-on pins. Eliminating these pins further reduces the vehicle’s weight. The Starship V3 ship itself is taller than previous versions, increasing the overall height of the integrated vehicle to approximately 124.4 meters, up from 121.3 meters for the V1 (Block 1) configuration.
The V3 also incorporates a new hybrid heat shield, combining ceramic materials with a specialized ablative layer and metallic elements. SpaceX has consistently tested the heat shield during atmospheric reentry, noting that areas of the shield appearing to burn away are part of the testing process, assessing the resilience of thermally stressed components.
The V3 is equipped with a full-scale docking system, enabling the transfer of propellant between Starships in orbit. The FT-12 flight is scheduled to launch from Orbital Launch Pad 2 (OLP-2) at the Starbase facility in Boca Chica, Texas. The construction of OLP-2, alongside ongoing modernization efforts at the Florida launch site, aims to accelerate launch cadence. If successful, FT-12 will be the final transatmospheric test flight, with subsequent missions targeting actual low Earth orbit and, eventually, a controlled landing in Texas.
