SpaceX Starship V3 Test Flight Succeeds as Valuation Nears $1.25 Trillion

SpaceX’s Starship V3 launched from Texas just after 5:30 p.m. local time on Friday, completed its test objectives and splashed down in the Indian Ocean. The flight bolsters confidence ahead of a potential IPO that values the company at $1.25 trillion, a level that could make Elon Musk the world’s first trillionaire.

The uncrewed Starship V3 rocket lifted off from SpaceX’s Boca Chica site in Texas. It is the largest and most powerful launch vehicle ever flown, standing 124 metres tall. After reaching space, the vehicle released 20 dummy satellites before beginning re‑entry.

- Launch occurred shortly after 5:30 p.m. local time on Friday. - Elon Musk praised the team on X, calling the launch and landing an “epic” achievement and saying they “scored a goal for humanity.” - SpaceX’s internal valuation stands at $1.25 trillion, a figure that would translate into a record‑setting IPO and potentially make Musk the first individual to reach trillionaire status.

The successful test flight demonstrates progress toward reusable deep‑space transport, a capability NASA plans to use for Artemis moon missions. Investors view the milestone as a positive signal for the upcoming public offering, which could become the largest in Wall Street history. Regulators and market watchers will monitor the IPO timing and any further test flights that refine the vehicle’s performance.