UPDATE: StarShip 6 LAUNCH and BOOSTER LANDING
UPDATE: Starship 6 Launch WATCH LIVE 2PM Pacific, November 19, 2024
"A live webcast of the flight test will begin about 40 minutes before liftoff"
Starship Flight Test 6 Overview
The sixth Starship flight test is scheduled for Tuesday, November 19, with a 30-minute launch window opening at 4:00 p.m. CT.
A live webcast will begin 40 minutes prior on SpaceX's website, X @SpaceX, and the X TV app.
Timelines are subject to change; follow updates on SpaceX channels.
Flight Test Objectives:
Test booster return and catch at the launch site.
Reignite a ship Raptor engine in space.
Assess heatshield experiments and maneuvering for reentry over the Indian Ocean.
Key Enhancements:
Improved booster propulsion redundancy and structural strength.
Faster post-catch propellant offloading.
Upgraded software and refined commit criteria for safer operations.
If conditions aren’t met, the booster will default to a splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico. A sonic boom may be heard near the landing zone.
The ship will follow a suborbital trajectory, targeting an Indian Ocean splashdown, testing new heatshield materials, hardware integration for future reuse, and stress limits for flap control.
StarShip 5 Launch WATCH HERE
Previous Starship Launches
UPDATE April 20 2023 6:30 AM: Starship is on the launch pad fully fueled and ready to go.
Watch the launch live here https://youtu.be/-1wcilQ58hI
UPDATE April 17th 2023:
SpaceX plans to conduct the first flight test of a fully integrated Starship and Super Heavy rocket on April 20 at their Starbase in Texas.
The 62-minute launch window opens at 8:28 a.m. CT and closes at 9:30 a.m. CT.
The live webcast of the flight test will begin ~45 minutes before liftoff.
UPDATE April 17, 2023:
Monday's test flight of the Starship was aborted, possibly because of a fuel pressure issue. It's expected the test flight will be rescheduled for tomorrow or Wednesday.
UPDATE:
Starship launch is confirmed for April 17th, 2023, barring any unforeseen circumstances.
SpaceX will stream the event live on its website,
ORIGINAL STORY:
SpaceX's first integrated flight test of Starship, a fully reusable transportation system, is expected to take place in the third week of April, possibly April 17th, pending regulatory approval.
The flight test will be the first of a fully integrated Starship and Super Heavy rocket and is designed to carry both crew and cargo to Earth orbit, help humanity return to the Moon, and travel to Mars and beyond.
The SpaceX team has completed multiple sub-orbital flight tests of Starship’s upper stage from Starbase and numerous tests of the Super Heavy rocket.
The flight test timeline, which is subject to change, includes milestones such as Max Q, booster main engine cutoff, stage separation, Starship ignition, and Starship splashdown. A live webcast of the flight test will be available approximately 45 minutes before liftoff.
At the end of the flight test timeline, Starship is expected to perform a splashdown rather than land on solid ground.
This is a departure from SpaceX's typical ground landings. Nevertheless, SpaceX has experience with splashdowns, having previously used them for their Dragon spacecraft.
Starship 6 Ready to Launch
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