---
title: "Starship V3 flies for the first time, but SpaceX loses the booster"
description: "SpaceX's first Starship V3 flight completed its mission, but the booster likely exploded in the Gulf of Mexico on return."
url: https://kurddevelopers.com/en/news/spacex-starship-v3-first-launch
language: en # English
type: news
published: 2026-05-22T20:50:00.000Z
updated: 2026-11-02T04:31:50.000Z
author: "Osamah Ismail"
author_url: https://kurddevelopers.com/en/author/1
section: "Startups"
tags: ["SpaceX","Starship V3","Space","Starlink"]
sources: ["TechCrunch","SpaceX"]
image: https://kurddevelopers.com/uploads/2026/11/screenshot-2026-05-22-at-6-31-03-pm-c7e5b1b9.png
translations:
  ku: https://kurddevelopers.com/news/spacex-starship-v3-first-launch
  ar: https://kurddevelopers.com/ar/news/spacex-starship-v3-first-launch
publisher: Kurd Developers
publisher_url: https://kurddevelopers.com/
---

# Starship V3 flies for the first time, but SpaceX loses the booster

> SpaceX's first Starship V3 flight completed its mission, but the booster likely exploded in the Gulf of Mexico on return.

![Image: SpaceX](https://kurddevelopers.com/uploads/2026/11/screenshot-2026-05-22-at-6-31-03-pm-c7e5b1b9.png)

## What happened
**SpaceX** launched **Starship V3** for the first time from **Starbase**, Texas. The rocket stands **407 feet** tall.

## Results
- **Booster**: engines didn't properly re-ignite for the return burn; it likely exploded in the **Gulf of Mexico**.
- **Starship**: lost one of its **six Raptor engines** on ascent.
- Deployed all **20 Starlink simulators** plus two modified Starlink satellites.
- About an hour later it simulated a landing in the **Indian Ocean** and exploded as expected.

## Why it matters
It was the first Starship flight since October 2025, ahead of SpaceX's expected **IPO** in June.

**Sources:** TechCrunch, SpaceX

---

Published by [Kurd Developers](https://kurddevelopers.com/) on 2026-05-22. Cite as: “Starship V3 flies for the first time, but SpaceX loses the booster”, Kurd Developers, https://kurddevelopers.com/en/news/spacex-starship-v3-first-launch