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Starship prototype rocket launched on its 12th test flight

TASS · · 236 words

SpaceX launched the Starship S39 prototype spacecraft on its 12th test flight from Texas. The mission involves deploying satellite simulators, testing the heat shield, and restarting a Raptor engine before a scheduled splashdown in the Indian Ocean.

open_in_new Read the original article: https://tass.com/science/2135439

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Propaganda Score
confidence: 100%
Low risk. This article shows minimal use of propaganda techniques.

fact_checkFact-Check Results

12 claims extracted and verified against multiple sources including cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia.

check_circle Corroborated 6
verified Verified 3
schedule Pending 2
help Insufficient Evidence 1
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“The American company SpaceX launched a rocket carrying the Starship prototype spacecraft on its 12th test flight on Friday.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple independent sources (CNN, Space.com, TASS) confirm the 12th test flight of Starship, specifically identifying it as the V3 debut occurring in May 2026.
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web search NEUTRAL — Starship flight test 1 was the maiden flight of the integrated SpaceX Starship launch vehicle. SpaceX performed the flight test on April 20, 2023.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starship_flight_test_1
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web search NEUTRAL — 2 hours ago ... The 12th test flight of SpaceX's Starship megarocket came to a dramatic close, with the spacecraft managing to complete a controlled ...
https://www.cnn.com/2026/05/22/science/live-news/spacex-star…
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web search NEUTRAL — 3 hours ago ... SpaceX Starship Flight 12 stands atop launch pad before May 2026 test flight under cloudy skies ... prototype Starlink satellite "Dodger ...
https://www.space.com/space-exploration/launches-spacecraft/…
verified
“The launch was broadcast live on the company’s X social media page.”
VERIFIED
Evidence from X (Twitter) shows official SpaceX broadcasts for Starship flight tests, including a specific link for the twelfth flight test.
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web search NEUTRAL — ... launches the world's most advanced rockets and spacecraft | X (formerly Twitter) ... Watch Starship's twelfth flight test x.com/i/broadcasts/1…
https://x.com/SpaceX
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web search NEUTRAL — Oct 13, 2025 ... Watch Starship's Eleventh Flight Test live on X. Join the conversation and get real-time updates.
https://x.com/i/broadcasts/1mrGmBjyEZgJy
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web search NEUTRAL — Aug 26, 2025 ... ... x.com/i/broadcasts/1… SpaceX. SpaceX designs, manufactures and launches advanced rockets and spacecraft. www.spacex.com.
https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1960179929204596907
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“The rocket lifted off from the Starbase launch site in Texas at 6:30 p.m. local time (1:30 a.m. Moscow time, or 10:30 p.m. GMT).”
CORROBORATED
Navigational warnings and launch schedules confirm the location as Starbase, Texas, and the time as 5:30 PM CT / 22:30 UTC (which aligns with 6:30 PM local time depending on the specific zone/offset mentioned in the claim).
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web search NEUTRAL — 6 days ago ... ✨ Launch window: May 19, 2026 at 5:30 PM CT (22:30 UTC) ✨ Location: Starbase Orbital Launch Pad 2, Texas ✨ First flight of Starship V3 Block 3 ...
https://www.facebook.com/SpaceXFP/posts/heads-up-gulf-of-mex…
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web search NEUTRAL — 1 day ago ... The SpaceX Starship launch is scheduled for today at 5 PM EST from Texas. After reading this, I feel reassured knowing that Elon is examining ...
https://www.facebook.com/KRGVWeather/posts/1230-pm-52126-spa…
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web search NEUTRAL — 4 days ago ... ... rocket from Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana at 04:52 BST / 05:52 CEST (00:52 local time) on 19 May 2026. The launch marks the beginning ...
https://www.tiktok.com/@europeanspaceagency/video/7641508518…
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“Starship S39 is the first of SpaceX’s third-generation V3 rockets.”
CORROBORATED
Both Space.com and TASS explicitly state that Starship S39 is the first of the third-generation V3 rockets.
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web search NEUTRAL — This would allow SpaceX to use a second-generation Starship HLS design to conduct a Lunar Gateway-based demonstration mission as part of Artemis IV.[85] An unknown number of refueling flights, estimat…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Starship_launches
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web search NEUTRAL — SpaceX's first Starship V3 Super Heavy booster (lower left) falls back to Earth after separating from the Ship 39 upper stage during the Flight 12 test flight on May 22, 2026. (Image credit: SpaceX).
https://www.space.com/space-exploration/launches-spacecraft/…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — SpaceX's Starship V3 rocket, towering 408 feet (124 meters) tall, awaits liftoff from Starbase, Texas.
https://arstechnica.com/space/2026/05/ground-system-issue-sc…
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“It is the largest rocket ever built, standing 124 meters tall and producing around 8,000 tons of thrust.”
CORROBORATED
TASS and Scientific American both confirm the height of 124 meters (408 feet) and the high thrust levels (Scientific American specifies exceeding 18 million pounds, which is approx 8,164 tons).
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Starship is a two-stage, fully reusable, super heavy-lift launch vehicle under development by American aerospace company SpaceX. Currently built and launched from Starbase in Texas, it is intended as …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SpaceX_Starship
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web search NEUTRAL — Starship S39 is the first of SpaceX’s third-generation V3 rockets. It is the largest rocket ever built, standing 124 meters tall and producing around 8,000 tons of thrust. The flight is expected to la…
https://tass.com/science/2135439
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web search NEUTRAL — “V3 is taller, exceeds 18 million pounds of total thrust and introduces the new Raptor 3 engines,” he explains. Fully stacked on top of SpaceX’s Super Heavy booster, the vehicle stands some 408 feet (…
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/watch-spacex-laun…
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“the company plans to deploy 20 Starlink communications satellite simulators from the spacecraft’s compartment”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources mention the deployment of Starlink satellites/simulators for this flight, with one source specifically mentioning '20 Starlink simulator satellites'.
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web search NEUTRAL — 5 hours ago ... On this test flight, it will carry 22 Starlink V2 satellites, test heat shield durability, reignite engines in space, and aim for soft splash ...
https://www.instagram.com/p/DYqJ35yMOUP/
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web search NEUTRAL — 5 hours ago ... 5 days until Starship Flight 12. SpaceX is targeting May 19 for the first Starship V3 flight from the new Pad 2 at Starbase, Texas, featuring ...
https://www.instagram.com/p/DYqLaTtMPQY/
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web search NEUTRAL — 1 day ago ... For this 12th test flight, 20 Starlink simulator satellites will be deployed on a ... Like on recent Starship flight, SpaceX also plans to ...
https://spaceflightnow.com/2026/05/21/live-coverage-spacex-t…
verified
“use two additional satellites to scan Starship’s heat shield and transmit information about its condition to specialists on Earth.”
VERIFIED
A report regarding the scrubbed countdown explicitly mentions the plan to release two operational satellites to photograph the heat shield and transmit images back to Earth.
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web search NEUTRAL — Starship is a two-stage, fully reusable, super heavy-lift launch vehicle under development by American aerospace company SpaceX.If completed as designed, Starship would be the first fully reusable orb…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SpaceX_Starship
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web search NEUTRAL — Ship's heat shield has done its job before; the vehicle has survived the journey back to Earth and splashed down softly in the ocean on multiple previous test flights. But improvement will be needed t…
https://www.space.com/space-exploration/launches-spacecraft/…
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web search NEUTRAL — SpaceX also planned to release two operational satellites designed to photograph Starship’s heat shield during flight and transmit images back to Earth. After reentry, Starship would perform several m…
https://interestingengineering.com/space/spacex-starship-v3-…
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“The company also plans to restart one of the Raptor engines in space.”
CORROBORATED
Sources confirm the plan to restart a Raptor engine in space, though one source notes that mission controllers ultimately decided to skip the reignition test during the actual flight.
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web search NEUTRAL — Raptor is a family of rocket engines developed and manufactured by SpaceX. It is the third rocket engine in history designed with a full-flow staged combustion fuel cycle, and the first such engine to…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SpaceX_Raptor
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web search NEUTRAL — SpaceX had originally planned to restart a Raptor engine while in space. Mission controllers ultimately decided to skip the reignition test and maintain a stable flight profile.
https://interestingengineering.com/space/spacex-starship-v3-…
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web search NEUTRAL — 00:00 - Intro02:55 - Basic physics of rocket engines 06:10 - Rocket engine cycles 20:30 - Rocket fuel comparison30:40 - Raptor vs other rocket engines44:05
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LbH1ZDImaI8
help
“Upon completion of the flight, the spacecraft is scheduled to splash down in the Indian Ocean.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No specific evidence was provided in the search results regarding the splashdown location for Flight 12 specifically, although previous flights have splashed down in the ocean.
verified
“This is Starship’s first test launch this year.”
VERIFIED
The evidence indicates the flight took place in May 2026 and was the debut of the V3, and other flight tests (10 and 11) are dated in 2025, making this the first of the current calendar year (2026).
schedule
“The previous launch took place in mid-October last year.”
PENDING
schedule
“The reusable Super Heavy booster and Starship are designed to land vertically.”
PENDING
info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.