---
type: source
title: "Starship Flight 12: Booster 19 10-Engine V3 Static Fire Completes, 33-Engine Test Next"
author: "Tesla Oracle / SpaceX"
url: https://www.teslaoracle.com/2026/03/19/starship-flight-12-booster-19s-10-engine-static-fire-ends-abruptly-spacex-prepares-for-a-33-engine-static-fire-test/
date: 2026-03-19
domain: space-development
secondary_domains: []
format: article
status: processed
priority: low
tags: [starship, flight-12, booster-19, raptor-3, static-fire, V3, pattern-2]
---

## Content

Starship Flight 12 V3 milestone update:

**March 16, 2026 static fire:**
- Booster 19 (V3 with Raptor 3 engines) ignited at Pad 2, Starbase
- 10 engines fired (partial complement)
- Ended early due to "ground-side issue" (not engine issue)
- SpaceX confirmed "successful startup on all installed Raptor 3 engines"
- First-ever Raptor 3 / V3 static fire

**Status as of March 19:**
- 23 additional Raptor 3 engines still need installation
- Next milestone: 33-engine full static fire
- April mid-to-late launch target maintained

**Vehicle details:**
- Booster 19 paired with Ship 39 (upper stage)
- V3 upgrade: full Raptor 3 engine upgrade, 100-tonne payload class, higher performance
- First flight of V3 configuration

## Agent Notes

**Why this matters:** Confirms Pattern 2 — V3 qualification is taking longer than announced. The 10-engine partial static fire means the 33-engine full static fire and April launch remain possible but tight. The ground-side issue (not engine) suggests Raptor 3 itself is not the problem — it's GSE (Ground Support Equipment) at the new Pad 2 facility.

**What surprised me:** The "successful startup on all installed engines" result is unusually positive for a first test. SpaceX often accepts anomalies on first attempts. The GSE issue doesn't reflect on the Raptor 3 engine's readiness, only on Pad 2 qualification.

**What I expected but didn't find:** A full 33-engine result. That's the milestone that matters for Flight 12 — the partial fire is a meaningful step but not the gate-clearing event.

**KB connections:**
- [[Starship achieving routine operations at sub-100 dollars per kg is the single largest enabling condition for the entire space industrial economy]] — V3 is the Starship generation that targets 100+ tonne payload capability; V3 qualification is on the path to this claim's realization
- [[reusability without rapid turnaround and minimal refurbishment does not reduce launch costs as the Space Shuttle proved over 30 years]] — V3 must be validated quickly; each delay in qualification delays the cost reduction trajectory

**Extraction hints:**
1. Not a primary claim extraction source — status update
2. If a broader Starship V3 / Flight 12 claim is being built, this confirms the milestone sequence is moving but slower than announced

**Context:** Tesla Oracle tracks SpaceX missions closely and is generally reliable for milestone reporting. The 10-engine static fire on March 16 was the first V3 test milestone in the Flight 12 qualification sequence.

## Curator Notes

PRIMARY CONNECTION: [[Starship achieving routine operations at sub-100 dollars per kg is the single largest enabling condition for the entire space industrial economy]] — V3 qualification is a milestone toward the Starship routine operations claim

WHY ARCHIVED: Pattern 2 confirmation — V3 static fire started but 33-engine full test still pending as of March 19; tracks the April launch target

EXTRACTION HINT: Low extraction priority — primarily updates Starship V3 flight timeline. No new claims; use to update existing Starship claims if qualification progresses.
