SpaceX Starship Block 3 Launch Imminent as NOTAM Filed

📌 UPDATE — May 19, 2026

Elon Musk has officially confirmed on X that the first Starship V3 launch is now targeting later this week, lending direct executive confirmation to the imminent timeline suggested by the recently filed NOTAM. The post, which has already surpassed 3.6 million views, is the clearest public signal yet that Booster 19 and Ship 39 are on the cusp of their maiden flight. No new technical details were shared, but the brevity and confidence of the announcement suggest no major holds are currently anticipated.

Elon Musk @elonmusk · May 19, 2026

"First Starship V3 launch later this week!"

❤️ 42,214  🔁 4,326  👁 3,607,646

📌 UPDATE — May 19, 2026

SpaceX has officially confirmed that Starship Flight 12 is now targeting No Earlier Than Thursday, May 21st at 5:30 PM CST — pushing back from the previously reported May 15 target date. Booster 19 is currently being rolled out to the pad to begin Wet Dress Rehearsal (WDR) preparations ahead of the launch attempt. The WDR must be completed successfully before the flight can proceed on the updated schedule.

@JoeTegtmeyer · May 19, 2026
"Booster 19 on the roll to the pad to prepare for a WDR and then hopefully Flight 12 launch. @SpaceX has confirmed the launch date has changed to NET Thursday, 21 May at 5:30PM CST."

📌 UPDATE — May 19, 2026

SpaceX has officially shifted the Starship V3 (Block 3) target launch date from May 15 to as early as Thursday, May 21st at 5:30 PM ET. The announcement came directly from SpaceX's official account, confirming the new window for Booster 19 + Ship 39's maiden flight. The short slip likely reflects final pre-flight checkouts rather than any major technical issue.

📌 UPDATE — May 18, 2026

Flight 12 preparations are accelerating rapidly at Boca Chica. A water deluge test was successfully completed today, and road closures filed for May 19–21 suggest Booster 19 and Ship 39 could roll out to the launch site around midnight. A Wet Dress Rehearsal (WDR) is expected as soon as tomorrow, with the launch target now set at NET May 20.

Separately, a detailed technical breakdown published by NASASpaceflight highlights numerous engineering changes and improvements to the Block 3 Super Heavy Booster, underscoring the significant upgrades packed into this vehicle ahead of its maiden flight.

📌 UPDATE — May 17, 2026

SpaceX has shifted the Starship Block 3 launch target, now aiming for no earlier than Wednesday, May 20 — pushing back from the previously reported May 15 window. The update was confirmed directly by SpaceX via their official account on May 17. No reason for the delay has been publicly stated. Watch the SpaceX livestream link for real-time countdown updates as the new date approaches.

— @SpaceX via X, May 17 2026

📌 UPDATE — May 17, 2026

The previously reported May 15 target date has slipped. On-site observer Joe Tegtmeyer reports from Starbase that Starship Flight 12 is now targeting NET May 20. Tegtmeyer notes significant ongoing changes and elevated activity across the launch site, though full details are expected to emerge over the next 24–48 hours. The delay suggests additional preparations or checkouts are underway ahead of the Block 3 maiden flight.

@JoeTegtmeyer · May 17, 2026
"I'm at Starbase and here is a update on Flight 12 (NET 20 May), many of the big changes I've noticed as you arrive and drive through Starbase, and what is going on out at the launch site. Hopefully more details will become clear over the next 24 to 48 hours…"
View on X →

📌 UPDATE — May 17, 2026

SpaceX has set a firm target of Wednesday, May 20th for Starship Flight 12 (the first V3 test flight), with the launch window opening at 6:30 PM ET / 5:30 PM CST. This slips the previously anticipated May 15 date by five days. Notably, the attempt falls on the same day as Tesla's Model S/X Signature delivery event in California, putting two major Elon Musk milestones on the same date.

📌 UPDATE — May 16, 2026

Ship 39 has rolled back from Massey's and is heading to Megabay 2 ahead of Flight 12 preparations. Notably, SpaceX is deploying a brand-new Starlink payload loader for the first time on a flight-ready ship — a process that, if successful, is expected to dramatically cut payload loading times and accelerate Ship 39's path to full flight readiness. 🔍 This new loader hardware represents an undocumented procedural change to Starship's payload integration workflow not previously seen on a flight vehicle.

📡 @NASASpaceflight — Ship 39 rolling back from Massey's

📡 @JoeTegtmeyer — New Starlink loader spotted at Megabay 2

📌 UPDATE — May 14, 2026

The Starship Block 3 launch target has slipped slightly from the previously reported May 15 date. According to NASASpaceflight, Booster 19 and Ship 39 have completed the first Block 3 full stack at Pad 2 and are now in final pre-launch testing. The launch is currently targeted for no earlier than May 19. No cause for the date adjustment has been officially stated.

🐦 @NASASpaceflight · May 14, 2026

📌 UPDATE — May 13, 2026

SpaceX has officially confirmed a launch date for Starship Flight 12, moving beyond the NOTAM-based speculation covered in our original report. NASASpaceflight broke the news on May 13, confirming the countdown to launch is now underway. This marks a firm commitment from SpaceX following the filing of the Notice to Air Missions that signaled an imminent attempt with Booster 19 and Ship 39.

— @NASASpaceflight, May 13, 2026

📌 UPDATE — May 13, 2026

Elon Musk has officially confirmed on X that the next Starship launch is scheduled for next week, aligning with the previously reported May 15 target window. The post, which garnered over 1.7 million views within hours, marks the first direct public confirmation from Musk himself following the NOTAM filing. This official signal significantly raises confidence that Booster 19 and Ship 39 are on track for their maiden flight attempt.

@elonmusk · May 13, 2026 · 17.8K likes · 1.75M views

📌 UPDATE — May 12, 2026

SpaceX has officially confirmed Flight 12 is targeting May 19 at 5:30 p.m. CT — four days later than the May 15 date previously reported. The mission will debut the next-generation Starship V3 and Super Heavy V3 vehicles, with SpaceX releasing a sweeping list of design changes. Most notably, Super Heavy's grid fin array has been redesigned from 4 fins to just 3, with each fin now 50% larger and stronger, repositioned to improve catching and lifting performance. Starship V3 also gains 50 onboard cameras and high-speed 480 Mbps Starlink connectivity for unprecedented in-flight coverage.

📌 UPDATE — May 12, 2026

SpaceX has officially confirmed Starship Flight 12 — the first V3 test flight — is now targeted for no earlier than Tuesday, May 19, with the launch window opening at 6:30 PM ET. This moves the date back slightly from the May 15 target previously indicated by the NOTAM. SpaceX confirmed the flight will debut next-generation Starship and Super Heavy vehicles powered by the next evolution of the Raptor engine, launching from a newly designed pad at Starbase.

— @SpaceX, May 12, 2026