SpaceX's Starship set for liftoff in bid to reach orbit
SpaceX is giving its giant Starship rocket another shot at liftoff from Texas this Sunday evening, after a rough year of setbacks—including a June explosion during testing.
The launch window opens at 7:30pm EDT, with both the Super Heavy booster and Starship upper stage heading up together.
Super Heavy booster aims for soft splashdown
This time, the Super Heavy booster will aim for a soft splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico using backup engines—switching things up from previous land recoveries.
Meanwhile, Starship will carry a batch of dummy Starlink satellites, test firing its engines again while on a suborbital path, and then reenter over the Indian Ocean to see how new heat shield tiles and steering flaps handle real-world stress.
Flight key for NASA's 1st crewed Moon landing mission
This flight isn't just about rockets—it's key for NASA's first crewed Moon landing mission since Apollo, planned for 2027, and could help boost future Starlink internet coverage.
SpaceX is sticking to its "learn by doing" approach—even if it means some fiery failures—to get ready for human missions to the Moon and Mars.