Key Points:
- Booster stacked for Starship Flight 12.
- Block 3 upgrades with Raptor 3 engines.
- Validation step toward deep-space missions.
SpaceX has completed the stacking of the Super Heavy booster ahead of Starship’s highly anticipated 12th test flight, marking a significant step forward in the development of the world’s most powerful launch system. The towering booster was recently positioned upright inside the high bay at SpaceX’s Starbase facility in South Texas, signaling that the core assembly phase for the next flight is now complete.
The newly stacked booster replaces an earlier vehicle that was removed from service following structural damage during testing late last year. While the setback briefly disrupted preparations, SpaceX moved quickly to assemble a replacement booster, allowing the Starship program to maintain momentum. The company has indicated that the next test flight is expected in the first quarter of 2026, though an exact launch date has not yet been confirmed.
Once fully assembled with its upper stage, the Starship system will stand more than 400 feet tall, making it the largest and most powerful rocket ever built. The Super Heavy booster provides the immense thrust required for liftoff, while the Starship spacecraft above it is designed to carry cargo, satellites, and eventually humans to destinations beyond Earth orbit.
Progress Through Iteration and Testing
The upcoming Flight 12 follows a year of intensive testing for the Starship program. Several test launches in 2025 produced mixed outcomes, with early flights encountering technical challenges, while later missions achieved more substantial success. These improvements reflect SpaceX’s iterative approach, in which data from each flight is rapidly analyzed and applied to future designs.
Recent test flights demonstrated better performance across multiple mission phases, including ascent, stage separation, and controlled reentry. Notably, SpaceX has already proven its ability to recover and reuse a Super Heavy booster, reinforcing its long-term goal of making Starship a fully reusable launch system.
Despite progress, development has not been without complications. Previous flights were delayed or scrubbed due to ground system issues, and hardware anomalies have occasionally forced design revisions. However, SpaceX has continued to refine both its vehicles and launch infrastructure, steadily pushing Starship closer to operational readiness.
Flight 12 is expected to debut the upgraded Block 3 configuration, incorporating structural improvements and next-generation Raptor 3 engines designed to deliver greater efficiency, reliability, and thrust.
What Flight 12 Could Mean for the Program
With the Super Heavy booster now stacked, SpaceX is expected to move into final vehicle checkouts, engine testing, and launch site preparations. The corresponding Starship upper stage is also undergoing readiness work ahead of integrated testing with the booster.
If successful, Flight 12 could represent one of the most important validation steps yet for the Starship program. Demonstrating the performance of the Block 3 design in real flight conditions would strengthen confidence in Starship’s role as the backbone of future deep-space missions.
Starship is central to SpaceX’s long-term ambitions, including supporting lunar missions, commercial spaceflight, and eventual crewed journeys to Mars. Each completed test brings the company closer to transforming Starship from an experimental vehicle into a fully operational launch system capable of reshaping the future of space exploration.
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