Starship IFT-12 Block 3 Second Attempt — SpaceX Eyes 22:30 UTC Window From New OLP-2 Pad; First V3 Flight and Pad 2 Inaugural

SpaceX prepared for the second launch attempt of Starship IFT-12 on May 22, 2026, with a 90-minute window opening at 22:30 UTC (5:30 p.m. CDT) from Orbital Launch Pad 2 (OLP-2) at Starbase, Boca Chica, Texas. The first attempt on May 21 was scrubbed at T-40 seconds when a hydraulic pin on the Mechazilla tower arm failed to retract; SpaceX engineers resolved the issue overnight and confirmed both vehicles ready for a second attempt. Booster 19 (33 Raptor 3 engines, Block 3 integrated vented interstage, 3 grid fins vs. 4 on V2) and Ship 39 (V3, 124.4 m tall, 25% greater propellant capacity) await the launch command. Mission objectives: deploy 20 Starlink mass-simulators (V3 size-class), release 2 modified Starlinks with cameras to image heat-shield tile performance during re-entry, attempt a single Raptor engine relight in space (first-ever in-space Raptor ignition), Booster 19 splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico (no Mechazilla booster catch planned for this debut Block 3 flight), and Ship 39 splashdown in the Indian Ocean. A successful IFT-12 would be the 12th Starship integrated flight test overall and the debut of Block 3 architecture, which underpins the Starship Human Landing System (HLS) design required for NASA's Artemis 4 lunar mission (targeted 2028). IFT-12 would also mark the inaugural launch from OLP-2, SpaceX's second orbital launch mount at Starbase — a key milestone in building launch cadence toward dual-pad operations. SpaceX confirmed weather as 60–65% favorable for the May 22 window.