SpaceX launches biggest Starship yet on pre-IPO test as Musk targets record market float

SpaceX launched its upgraded Starship V3 rocket on 22 May 2026 from Starbase, Texas — the largest and most powerful version of the vehicle to date — releasing 20 mock Starlink satellites midway through a flight that stretched halfway around the globe before reaching the Indian Ocean, despite some engine anomalies during the booster's attempted return. The test flight came two days after CEO Elon Musk announced plans to take SpaceX public, with the IPO expected on 12 June 2026 and analysts projecting it could be the largest stock market listing in history. NASA is counting on Starship's human-rated variant to land astronauts on the moon as part of the Artemis programme.