STARBASE, Texas – SpaceX is preparing to launch its massive Starship rocket on its first-ever orbital test flight, a milestone with significant implications for the future of space exploration — including NASA’s plans to return astronauts to the moon.
The uncrewed Starship — standing 407 feet tall — is lifting off from SpaceX’s Starbase facility in Texas. The launch window opened at 8:15 a.m. EDT, but the launch was pushed back to 8:48 a.m. EDT.
This test flight marks the first time Starship will attempt to reach orbit around Earth. During the nearly 10-hour mission, the rocket is expected to complete six orbits and deploy 26 Starlink satellites.
Three of those satellites are equipped with specialized cameras pointed at Starship’s heat shield, allowing engineers to monitor its performance during the high-stress reentry phase. If the mission goes as planned, Starship will splash down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Chile.
Starship is a fully reusable, two-stage rocket that SpaceX ultimately hopes to use to carry astronauts to the moon — and eventually to Mars.
What it means for NASA’s Artemis III mission
The stakes of Monday’s test flight extend well beyond SpaceX. NASA has contracted the company to develop a lunar landing system capable of carrying astronauts to the moon’s surface for the first time in more than 50 years.
NASA is investing more than $4 billion in SpaceX’s lunar lander. A successful orbital test flight Monday would be a critical step toward proving the vehicle is ready for that mission.
