SpaceX IFT-12 Launch Slips to NET May 15 — Booster 19 Static Fire Abort Requires Follow-Up Test

As of May 8, 2026, SpaceX's Starship Flight 12 (IFT-12) has slipped from its original May 12 opening window to a new NET (No Earlier Than) date of May 15, 2026. The delay follows an abort during Booster 19's full-stack static fire campaign: after a partial-damage 33-engine fire on April 15 that required replacement of all 33 Raptor engines, a subsequent 33-engine static fire attempt aborted early due to a sensor anomaly in a ramp manifold, requiring inspection and a follow-up static fire before clearing for flight. Updated Local Notice to Mariners data reflects the May 15 NET date, with windows extending through May 18. FAA flight-safety approval and FCC communications license (valid through October 2026) remain in place — regulatory clearance is not the bottleneck. IFT-12 pairs Booster 19 and Ship 39 (Starship V3 architecture with all-Raptor-3 engines) on a sub-orbital trajectory from Starbase Pad 2: Ship 39 will splash down in the Indian Ocean while Booster 19 attempts a Mechazilla tower catch at Starbase. The mission's primary objectives are first-flight validation of the docking port hardware and propellant-transfer system components integrated into Ship 39's forward section — critical prerequisites for Artemis III's Earth-orbit rendezvous and docking demonstration in 2027, and eventual Artemis IV crewed lunar landing in 2028.