Starship V3 kicks off a new era of orbital refueling and Artemis plans

SpaceX's Starship V3—the biggest variant yet with the new Raptor 3 engine—launched May 22 from Starbase, overcoming some engine glitches and a booster splashdown; SpaceX says the flight advances in-space propellant transfer and long-duration testing, essential for NASA's Artemis program (Artemis 3 in 2027 and Artemis 4 in 2028), with plans for several more Starship flights this year to demonstrate ship-to-ship refueling, life-support integration, and a rapid production cadence.