SpaceX Starship Launches Successfully on Second Attempt After Scrub

SpaceX successfully launched its upgraded Starship vehicle on May 22, 2026, one day after scrubbing the first attempt due to a technical issue. The launch from Boca Chica, Texas marked a key milestone in the company's development program.

The Super Heavy booster returned to the launch site and was caught by the mechanical arms of the launch tower, a maneuver SpaceX has been refining over the past year. Starship itself completed its planned flight path before splashing down in the Indian Ocean.

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk called the flight a success on social media, noting that the vehicle performed better than expected on several key metrics.

The upgraded Starship is designed to carry NASA astronauts to the lunar surface as part of the Artemis program. NASA has contracted SpaceX to use Starship as the Human Landing System for the first crewed Moon landing since 1972.

The vehicle is also central to SpaceX's long-term plans for Mars. Musk has said he wants to send an uncrewed Starship to Mars in 2026, with a crewed mission to follow in the late 2020s.

SpaceX filed an S-1 document earlier in May for what could be the largest initial public offering in history, with the company eyeing a valuation of 1.7 trillion dollars. Starlink, the satellite internet division, is the primary profit driver, while the launch and AI-related divisions are still posting losses.

The successful test flight is expected to strengthen investor confidence ahead of any potential IPO. SpaceX has not confirmed a timeline for going public.