SpaceX Conducts First Starship Test Flight Following IPO

Following its IPO, SpaceX carried out its first Starship test flight and deployed 20 new Starlink V3 satellites into orbit. Per CNBC, the 13th Starship test flight from Texas' Starbase saw the Super Heavy booster separate from the Starship spacecraft after about 2 minutes of flight, landing under control in the Gulf of Mexico. The rocket's upper stage touched down in the Indian Ocean. SpaceX employees referred to the test as the 'lucky 13th' during live broadcasts. The company deployed the 20 Starlink V3 satellites approximately 18 minutes after launch, marking the first time it has tested the new satellites' operational performance. The satellites are designed to deorbit within about 20 minutes. The Starlink V3 satellites, produced at Redmond, Washington, are larger and more powerful than previous generations, featuring solar arrays that generate twice the power of their predecessors. This flight also marked the second test of the latest Starship V3 version. SpaceX delayed the test from May 23 due to weather and canceled a launch on May 16 when the booster triggered a shutdown signal mid-engine ignition.