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| Science & Technology |
| SpaceX's upgraded Starship V3 ready for debut launch ahead of IPO |
| 2026-05-19 |
| [Reuters] SpaceX is poised this week to conduct the 12th uncrewed test flight of its next-generation Starship rocket, the first of a newly upgraded vehicle seen as critical to Elon Musk's efforts to satisfy investors and push deeper into space. The debut flight of the Starship V3, outfitted with new features designed to support future missions to the moon and Mars, poses a key test for both the vehicle itself and investor confidence ahead of an initial public offering for SpaceX expected next month. The fully reusable rocket ship is crucial to Musk's goals of dramatically cutting launch costs, expanding his Starlink satellite business and pursuing ambitions ranging from orbital data centers to human interplanetary missions - all of which are baked into the company's targeted $1.75 trillion initial public offering valuation. “For an IPO that is leaning so heavily into narrative and symbolism, we believe this flight is the single most important pre-IPO catalyst remaining on SpaceX’s calendar,” PitchBook senior research analyst Franco Granda said. The towering spacecraft, consisting of the upper-stage Starship astronaut vessel stacked atop its Super Heavy booster rocket, was due for launch as early as Thursday, the company said late on Monday. It was targeting a liftoff from its Starbase facilities in Texas on the Gulf of Mexico. |
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