SpaceX's next-generation launch vehicle "Starship V3," led by Elon Musk, has revealed its complete form for the first time. The test flight scheduled for the 15th (local time) is both a stage to verify key technologies for NASA's lunar lander development and an event drawing attention as a gauge of SpaceX's technology and corporate value as it looks to pursue an IPO.
SpaceX on the 10th (local time) posted photos on X (formerly Twitter) of Starship V3 standing on the launchpad at Starbase in Texas. The photos show the so-called full-stack vehicle, with the upper Starship spacecraft mated atop the first-stage booster "Super Heavy."
Starship V3 is set to embark on a test flight on the 15th. According to foreign media, this flight is the 12th test launch of the Starship system. The vehicle, which stands about 124 meters tall, is designed to carry more than 100 t (tons) to low Earth orbit.
Launch preparations have entered the final stage. On the 7th, SpaceX conducted a static fire test at Starbase, igniting all 33 Raptor engines on Super Heavy V3. Space.com said the test ran for about 14 seconds, and that an engine ignition test of the upper spacecraft had been completed earlier.
This test flight is also tied to NASA's return-to-the-moon plan. SpaceX is pushing to develop a lunar lander for the Artemis program based on Starship. If V3 proves stable flight performance, it could add momentum to lunar lander development and the establishment of a long-distance space transportation system.
The Starship V3 test flight is seen not only as a measure of SpaceX's technology but also as a variable to gauge future corporate value. Because Starship is a key pillar of lunar lander development and next-generation space transportation, whether the flight succeeds could also affect investor sentiment.
Meanwhile, Reuters also reported observations that SpaceX could be valued at around $1.75 trillion (about 2,576 trillion won) to $2 trillion (about 2,944 trillion won) in the IPO process.