SpaceX has just announced the highly anticipated date for Starship’s Flight 12, also known as IFT-12. This launch is generating a lot of excitement due to significant design and engineering changes in the V3 Starship spacecraft and Super Heavy rocket booster.
The launch is scheduled for Tuesday, May 19, 2026, with a launch window opening at 5:30 PM Central Time (CT) or 6:30 PM Eastern Time (EST). However, unfavorable weather conditions or technical issues could potentially delay the launch. SpaceX typically keeps two backup launch windows in case a scrub is necessary for safety reasons.
According to SpaceX’s official announcement, the upcoming flight will mark the twelfth test of Starship. The next-generation Starship and Super Heavy vehicles will be powered by the latest evolution of the Raptor engine and will launch from a newly designed pad at Starbase.
Pre-flight testing for Flight 12 Starship has been completed, with the upper stage (Ship 39) stacked on Booster 19 at Starbase, Texas. Over 5000 tonnes (11 million pounds) of propellant have been loaded onto the ship and booster. Booster 19 underwent a 33-engine full-duration static fire test at Starbase, the second such test with all 33 engines installed.
Ship 39 also underwent a 6-engine static fire test in April, following three consecutive cryogenic pressure-proof tests in March. The V2 generation of Starship prototypes concluded with the successful Flight 11 launch and landing test. Flight 12 Starship represents the first V3 generation spacecraft with numerous modifications and upgrades, necessitating extensive testing and iteration before the launch date was set.
Live webcasts of the Flight 12 launch will be available on SpaceX’s official social media account on X, as well as on Everyday Astronaut and NasaSpaceFlight.com’s YouTube channels. Viewers can also follow live text updates on a dedicated page for the event.
Be sure to mark your calendars for May 19th at 6:30 PM ET / 5:30 PM CT to witness the exciting launch of Starship Flight 12. Stay tuned for more updates on Starship and SpaceX by following us on Google News, X (Twitter), Flipboard, WhatsApp Channel, and RSS (Feedly).