SpaceX’s Starship megarocket could finally be flying on its first flight test of the year as soon as Thursday afternoon.
The Federal Aviation Administration issued a launch license for the next Starship flight test on Dec. 17, clearing the way for SpaceX to once again launch the world’s largest rocket from south Texas. Ever since, SpaceX has been rapidly preparing for the seventh overall flight test of the 400-foot-tall Starship.
The impending launch, which has so far been postponed twice, comes as billionaire Elon Musk, SpaceX Founder and CEO, is hoping to ramp up Starship testing in the year ahead – though he’d need approval from federal regulators to do so. The vehicle, which is composed of both the 165-foot Starship spacecraft itself and the 232-foot Super Heavy rocket, is envisioned as one day being a fully reusable transportation system that can carry both humans and cargo to Earth’s orbit, the moon and even Mars.
Here’s what to know about the upcoming uncrewed Starship test flight, and how to watch it:
SpaceX Starship lifts off from Starbase in Boca Chica, Texas, for its sixth flight test on Nov. 19, 2024. SpaceX aborted an attempt to catch the first stage booster of its Starship megarocket in the “chopstick” arms of its launch tower, opting instead for an ocean splashdown, a live feed showed Nov 19.
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When is the next Starship flight test?
SpaceX is planning to launch its Starship on Thursday on its seventh flight test from the company’s Starbase in Boca Chica near Brownsville, Texas.
The launch window opens at 5 p.m. EST.
This marks the second time in a row that SpaceX has targeted a late-afternoon launch after previous tests took place in the morning. When the company adjusted the flight’s launch window for the first time during the most recent Nov. 19, it said in a statement that the decision was to allow for “better conditions for visual observations.”
The rocket launch was initially slated for Monday afternoon before SpaceX moved it back to Wednesday. That launch was also rescheduled for Thursday, which SpaceX attributed to inclement weather.
How to watch the Starship launch
SpaceX’s next-generation Starship spacecraft atop its powerful Super Heavy rocket is launched on its sixth test at the company’s Boca Chica launch pad in Brownsville, Texas, U.S., November 19, 2024.
SpaceX will host a livestream of the flight test that will begin about 35 minutes before liftoff.
The webcast is available on its website and on social media platform X. Coverage will also be available on SpaceX’s on new X TV app.
“As is the case with all developmental testing, the schedule is dynamic and likely to change, so be sure to check in here and stay tuned to our X account for updates,” SpaceX said.
What to expect from the next Starship demonstration
The Starship vehicle rolled out to the launch site is a new-and-improved spacecraft featuring upgrades to its upper stage and redesigns to its propulsion system and heat shield, according to SpaceX.
The new 400-foot Starship vehicle will feature a number of new upgrades and objectives, building on the milestones SpaceX hit in 2024 – including the landmark rocket booster catch the company pulled off in October. And in a first, the Starship on Monday will attempt a Starlink payload deployment test – a key capability for the vehicle in the future.
SpaceX plans to once again attempt to return and catch the rocket booster at the launch pad, which would cause sonic booms in the area around the landing zone. The maneuver, which has only been pulled off once during the October demonstration, was called off in the most recent test in November, which President-elect Donald Trump attended.
The Super Heavy rocket booster will also be outfitted with a Raptor engine from the booster that launched and returned on Starship’s fifth flight test in October, marking the first time flight-proven hardware is being reused, SpaceX said. The company also plans to once again reignite its Raptor engines in space to attempt an orbital burn – a crucial maneuver to one day bring a vehicle back to the ground.
Eric Lagatta covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach him at elagatta@gannett.com
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: SpaceX Starship launch: Date, time, how to watch 7th flight test live
