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Space.com • Mike Wall

Starship V3 (Starship Launch No. 12 / Block 3) targeted for May 19 debut flight

SpaceX is targeting May 19 for the debut of Starship Version 3, with the first flight of the Block 3 configuration. The move refines the company’s near-term Starship orbital test campaign following earlier scheduling shifts into May.

2026-05-12T16:06:20.743251-07:00

NASA Spaceflight

SpaceX CRS-34 cargo resupply mission delayed 24 hours for ISS visit

2026-05-12T13:58:25.987638-07:00

Via Satellite

AST SpaceMobile confirms path to 45 BlueBird satellites this year after Blue Origin launch failure, with SpaceX mid-June backup

2026-05-12T14:01:37.740391-07:00

Space.com

NASA’s Psyche spacecraft to use a Mars gravity assist with a close flyby May 15

2026-05-12T08:11:48.565672-07:00

News Timeline

Space.com

Starship V3 (Starship Launch No. 12 / Block 3) targeted for May 19 debut flight SpaceX is targeting May 19 for the debut of Starship Version 3, with the first flight of the Block 3 configuration. The move refines the company’s near-term Starship orbital test campaign following earlier scheduling shifts into May.

2026-05-12T16:06:20.743251-07:00

Starship V3 (Starship Launch No. 12 / Block 3) targeted for May 19 debut flight

Via Satellite

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AST SpaceMobile confirms path to 45 BlueBird satellites this year after Blue Origin launch failure, with SpaceX mid-June backup AST SpaceMobile says it still expects to have 45 BlueBird satellites in orbit this year following a recent Blue Origin launch failure. CEO Abel Avellan said the company is preparing to launch with SpaceX in mid-June for a mission carrying three BlueBird satellites. Separately, AST reported a direct-to-device satellite broadband demo at sea reaching 98.9 Mbps on a standard smartphone without hardware changes.

2026-05-12T14:01:37.740391-07:00

AST SpaceMobile confirms path to 45 BlueBird satellites this year after Blue Origin launch failure, with SpaceX mid-June backup

NASA Spaceflight

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SpaceX CRS-34 cargo resupply mission delayed 24 hours for ISS visit The ISS will receive a new SpaceX visiting cargo vehicle with additional supplies following Progress MS-34’s recent docking. The CRS-34 resupply mission has slipped by 24 hours, extending the interval between arriving vehicles in low Earth orbit.

2026-05-12T13:58:25.987638-07:00

SpaceX CRS-34 cargo resupply mission delayed 24 hours for ISS visit

Space.com

NASA’s Psyche spacecraft to use a Mars gravity assist with a close flyby May 15 NASA’s Psyche solar-electric asteroid probe, launched Oct. 13, 2023, will fly within 3,000 miles of Mars on May 15 to gain energy for its journey to the metallic asteroid Psyche. Mission planners will leverage Mars’ gravity alongside xenon-fueled propulsion to shape the interplanetary trajectory.

2026-05-12T08:11:48.565672-07:00

NASA’s Psyche spacecraft to use a Mars gravity assist with a close flyby May 15

Payload

Fenix completes tow-launch prototype test campaign, demonstrating launch- and landing-capable operations without a pad Fenix Space has completed a week-long test campaign validating a tow-launch prototype’s ability to take off and land without using a launch pad. The results advance the company’s push for simpler ground operations and more flexible launch-style vehicle handling.

2026-05-12T05:28:25.340734-07:00

Fenix completes tow-launch prototype test campaign, demonstrating launch- and landing-capable operations without a pad

Space.com

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SpaceX stacks, fuels and runs full wet dress rehearsal for Starship V3 Super Heavy as Booster 19 eyes a May test flight SpaceX has stacked and fueled a new Starship V3 configuration for the first time, including a full wet dress rehearsal of Ship 39 and Booster 19 on Starbase’s Pad 2. Separate reporting says all 33 Super Heavy engines were fired on the pad, with an anticipated first V3 flight in mid-May (May 15 or as soon as May 19).

2026-05-12T03:58:49.180951-07:00

SpaceX stacks, fuels and runs full wet dress rehearsal for Starship V3 Super Heavy as Booster 19 eyes a May test flight

SpaceWatch Global

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Lockheed Martin, Seagate Space and Firefly Aerospace team on sea-based launch mission concepts and flight demos Lockheed Martin, Seagate Space and Firefly Aerospace will collaborate on mission-application concepts and flight-demonstration projects using Seagate’s Gateway offshore launch platform. The effort extends their work to operationalize maritime launch options for national-security payloads, linking systems integration with offshore infrastructure validation.

2026-05-12T00:56:56.937973-07:00

Lockheed Martin, Seagate Space and Firefly Aerospace team on sea-based launch mission concepts and flight demos

Space.com

Artemis 3 SLS core stage moves into hardware integration ahead of 2027 lunar-landers test launch NASA has raised the Artemis 3 SLS core stage into the Vehicle Assembly Building and is preparing for engine integration, advancing the rocket toward a planned 2027 launch. The step ties Artemis 3’s near-term hardware cadence to ongoing mission-profile planning as the agency readies for lunar landers validation.

2026-05-11T14:06:48.689628-07:00

Artemis 3 SLS core stage moves into hardware integration ahead of 2027 lunar-landers test launch

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Launch Vehicles & Space Transportation News

Starship V3 (Starship Launch No. 12 / Block 3) targeted for May 19 debut flight

SpaceX CRS-34 cargo resupply mission delayed 24 hours for ISS visit

AST SpaceMobile confirms path to 45 BlueBird satellites this year after Blue Origin launch failure, with SpaceX mid-June backup

NASA’s Psyche spacecraft to use a Mars gravity assist with a close flyby May 15

News Timeline