Starship V3 debuts May 19 for Flight 12

The transition to Starship V3 represents the shift from experimental testing to a production-grade orbital transport system.

• –Raptor 3 engines offer 250 tons of thrust while eliminating complex external plumbing, drastically improving reliability and easing rapid reuse.
• –A reduction to three larger, more robust grid fins on the Super Heavy booster optimizes atmospheric control for precision tower catches.
• –Increased payload capacity (up to 150 metric tons) is the primary enabler for Starlink V3, which provides 20x the bandwidth to support global direct-to-cell connectivity.
• –The V3 architecture is the first iteration designed specifically for orbital refueling, a critical path for deep-space logistics and the Human Landing System.
• –High-cadence launches support the burgeoning "space-based compute" market, targeting AI data centers that leverage orbital cooling and unconstrained solar power.