SpaceX is getting ready to launch its massive Starship rocket for the 11th time, with the next test flight scheduled for as early as Monday, October 13th. The launch, which will take place from the company’s Starbase in Texas, is another critical step in the development of the most powerful rocket ever built.
This latest flight comes after a major success at the end of August, when Starship deployed a payload into space for the very first time. For this next mission, SpaceX will attempt to do it again, this time with eight dummy Starlink satellites on board.
The goals for this flight are ambitious. The company wants to gather data for the next generation of its Super Heavy booster, push the limits of Starship’s heatshield, and practice some of the tricky maneuvers the rocket will need to perform for a future return to the launch site. SpaceX will be reusing a booster that has flown before, a key part of its plan to make spaceflight cheaper and more sustainable.
For this test, SpaceX won’t be attempting its signature rocket landing, where a giant tower with “chopsticks” catches the booster as it returns to Earth. Instead, the booster is expected to make a soft landing in the Gulf of Mexico, while the Starship upper stage will splash down in the Indian Ocean. You can watch the launch live on the SpaceX website or on X, with the broadcast starting 30 minutes before the 7:15 PM ET launch window opens.
