SpaceX is targeting early March for the next major milestone in its Starship program, with CEO Elon Musk confirming the company’s next launch is roughly six weeks away. Musk shared the update on X, simply stating “Starship launch in 6 weeks,” setting the stage for what’s expected to be a pivotal test flight for the fully reusable rocket system.
If the timeline holds, the upcoming mission will mark the first-ever launch of Starship Version 3, a major evolution of the vehicle following the retirement of the V2 design after Flight 11 last fall. That test flight achieved all of its primary objectives and officially closed the chapter on the V2 architecture, clearing the way for SpaceX’s next-generation hardware.
Starship V3 brings with it a host of major upgrades, most notably the debut of the Raptor V3 engine. Compared to the original Raptor 1, the new engine is said to deliver nearly double the thrust while costing four times less to produce. It’s also significantly lighter, saving roughly 2,425 pounds per engine. Across a full stack, that translates to a massive weight reduction of nearly 95,000 pounds, or about 43 metric tons, per launch. Raptor V3 is also optimized for manufacturability and does away with the engine heat shield, further simplifying production.
The March launch target follows SpaceX’s prelaunch testing of its first Super Heavy V3 booster, which began back in November. That booster is specifically designed to support the Starship V3 vehicle and is expected to play a key role as SpaceX ramps up flight cadence. Elon Musk has previously said Starship V3 will see heavy flight activity throughout 2026, as the company works toward rapid reusability and operational maturity.
Beyond Texas, SpaceX is also laying the groundwork for Starship’s future in Florida. Construction is already underway on new Starship launch pads, and the company’s Vice President of Launch, Kiko Dontchev, has indicated that Starship V3 could begin launching from Cape Canaveral not long after its first flight test.
With major design changes, a new engine, and ambitious flight plans ahead, the upcoming Starship V3 launch could offer the clearest look yet at SpaceX’s vision for high-cadence, fully reusable spaceflight.
