The new t-zero for the #Starship test flight no. 12 is 23:30 UTC after two (unexplained) delays: independent webcasts are already on at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcNsHf607hU and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBu6JFjt0tk with the official one at https://x.com/i/broadcasts/1YxNrZwwomNxw now scheduled for 22:43 UTC.
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The first version 3 #Starship didn't go anywhere on the first attempt: first the launch was delayed twice by 1/2 hour, then it recycled again and again to t-40 seconds - because the hydraulic pin holding the tower arm in place did not retract: https://x.com/elonmusk/status/2057609682865254695 - until the time ran out. It it unclear whether the next attempt can come already 24 hours later or only next week the earliest.
While there was no #Starship launch the #SpaceX webcast contained two unexpected segments, one about a vague plan of a space tourist flight - https://x.com/SpaceX/status/2057602409937912158 - with one such vehicle around Mars, the other in minute 21 of https://x.com/i/broadcasts/1YxNrZwwomNxw about results from the #Starlink Stargaze system described in https://starlink.com/updates/stargaze and https://breakingdefense.com/2026/01/spacex-unveils-stargaze-space-tracking-system/ and https://smallsatnews.com/2026/02/18/spacex-unveils-stargaze-system-to-revolutionize-space-traffic-management/: apparently there are numerous unlisted satellites in LEO which come so close to the Starlinks that cameras on the latter see them as bright objects. How could those objects have been missed by all space surveillance from the ground?
This is, from https://bsky.app/profile/gewoonlukas.bsky.social/post/3mmfjmz3dgs2d, one of the pseudo-satellites to be deployed during the suborbital flight number 12 of a #Starship to inspect it from the outside with cameras on its booms - according to https://x.com/SpaceX/status/2057845419523117292 the next launch attempt will be tonight between 22:30 and 0:00 UTC, with a webcast from 21:58 UTC at https://x.com/i/broadcasts/1pKkOykQRgNKj
The 12th test flight of a #Starship was a mixed bag: good lift-off, loss of the booster, Starship limping into orbit, deployments fine, no Rapter relighting, fun reentry, RUD at the very end as planned. See https://skyweek.wordpress.com/2026/05/21/starship-vor-dem-12-test-erster-der-version-3 for maaany more screencaps from the webcast!
Curious about just before the booster shut down, one of the engine graphics went out, and there seemed to (maybe) be some fire on the side of the rocket. Is it possible that this was more of an issue and they needed to shut things down prematurely? Of course, things with the booster went downhill from there. But, was it really a successful boost phase?
@mastodonmigration You mean the engines going out at t+2:23? Don't know what the regular shut-down sequence ahead of separation would be for the new rocket - but at t+2:35 the graphic shows many booster engines suddenly on again although they are obviously out -> a telemetry and/or display problem?
