SpaceX launches V3 Starlink satellites, booster relight issue reported

SpaceX’s second Starship V3 flight marked another milestone for the company’s next‑generation launch vehicle, passing several key developmental checkpoints. The launch, which took place on Tuesday from the Boca Chica launch site, achieved a successful liftoff, completed the planned first‑stage burn, and executed the Super‑Heavy booster’s staged separation as scheduled. Engineers also confirmed that the Starship’s heat‑shield tiles and avionics systems performed within expected parameters, further validating the design changes implemented since the first V3 test.

Despite these successes, the flight encountered a setback when the booster’s rocket engines failed to relight during the second‑stage ignition sequence. The relight anomaly, which prevented the vehicle from reaching the intended orbital trajectory, prompted an immediate post‑flight diagnostic review. SpaceX’s engineering team has identified a transient electrical fault in the booster’s engine control system as the likely cause, and corrective actions are being planned for the next flight.

The company has indicated that the relight issue will not derail its overall testing schedule. With the primary objectives of the second V3 flight achieved, SpaceX will use the lessons learned to refine the booster’s engine control architecture before proceeding to the next iteration. The company remains on track to advance the Starship program toward orbital launch readiness in the coming months.