SpaceX is targeting as soon as Thursday, April 20 for the first flight test of a fully integrated Starship and Super Heavy rocket from Starbase in Texas. The 62 minute launch window opens at 8:28 a.m. CT and closes at 9:30 a.m. CT.

Starship is a fully reusable transportation system designed to carry both crew and cargo to Earth orbit, help humanity return to the Moon, and travel to Mars and beyond. With a test such as this, success is measured by how much we can learn, which will inform and improve the probability of success in the future as SpaceX rapidly advances development of Starship.

To date, the SpaceX team has completed multiple sub-orbital flight tests of Starship’s upper stage from Starbase, successfully demonstrating an unprecedented approach to controlled flight. These flight tests helped validate the vehicle’s design, proving Starship can fly through the subsonic phase of entry before re-lighting its engines and flipping itself to a vertical configuration for landing.

In addition to the testing of Starship’s upper stage, the team has conducted numerous tests of the Super Heavy rocket, which include the increasingly complex static fires that led to a full-duration 31 Raptor engine test – the largest number of simultaneous rocket engine ignitions in history. The team has also constructed the world’s tallest rocket launch and catch tower. At 146 meters, or nearly 500 feet tall, the launch and catch tower is designed to support vehicle integration, launch, and catch of the Super Heavy rocket booster. For the first flight test, the team will not attempt a vertical landing of Starship or a catch of the Super Heavy booster.

A live webcast of the flight test will begin ~45 minutes before liftoff. As is the case with all developmental testing, this schedule is dynamic and likely to change, so be sure to stay tuned to our social media channels for updates.

As we venture into new territory, we continue to appreciate all of the support and encouragement we have received from those who share our vision of a future where humanity is out exploring among the stars!

The Starship system is a fully reusable, two‑stage‑to‑orbit super heavy‑lift launch vehicle under development by SpaceX. The system is composed of a booster stage named Super Heavy and a second stage, also called "Starship"

The Starship system is a fully reusable, two‑stage‑to‑orbit super heavy‑lift launch vehicle under development by SpaceX. The system is composed of a booster stage named Super Heavy and a second stage, also called "Starship"

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Discover the starship system from SpaceX, the fully reusable two-stage-to-orbit super heavy-lift launch vehicle. Powered by the world's most powerful rocket engines, the Raptor 2 engines, which are getting ready for a 33-engine static fire test soon. This system is composed of the Super Heavy booster stage and the advanced starship second stage. Stay on the cutting edge of space technology with this exciting development from SpaceX.

SpaceX’s Starship spacecraft and Super Heavy rocket – collectively referred to as Starship – represent a fully reusable transportation system designed to carry both crew and cargo to Earth orbit, the Moon, Mars and beyond. Starship will be the world’s most powerful launch vehicle ever developed, capable of carrying up to 150 metric tonnes fully reusable and 250 metric tonnes expendable.

Astrolab, a pioneering lunar rover developer, has joined forces with SpaceX, the trailblazing aerospace manufacturer and space transportation company. The partnership aims to transport Astrolab's first rover to the moon on a future SpaceX Starship flight. This ambitious collaboration signals a new chapter in lunar exploration, with both companies committed to pushing the boundaries of space travel.

Astrolab's Flexible Logistics and Exploration (FLEX) rover is at the center of this groundbreaking venture. Scheduled to be carried as a payload on a SpaceX Starship lunar lander mission as early as mid-2026, the FLEX rover represents the first commercial contract SpaceX has signed for lunar cargo delivery. This partnership will likely pave the way for similar collaborations, fueling further advancements in space exploration.

In today's episode, we're diving into the world of commercial space travel, as Boeing faces yet another delay for their Starliner capsule's first mission carrying astronauts to space. The stakes are high as the company hopes to join SpaceX's Crew Dragon in providing NASA-approved rides to orbit. This delay comes amidst a series of setbacks and technical debates, and in this episode, we'll explore the details and implications of this development for Boeing, NASA, and the commercial space industry.

Boeing's Starliner capsule, initially planned for an April launch, has now been postponed until at least the summer. This decision follows last-minute tests and technical debates, pushing the mission behind a private astronaut mission scheduled for May. The Starliner crewed mission represents a crucial moment for Boeing's space unit, as it aims to join SpaceX's Crew Dragon as the second NASA-approved vehicle for orbital missions. With the certification process taking longer than expected, Boeing is struggling to keep up with Elon Musk's SpaceX in the growing market for private astronaut flights.

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Blue Origin recently experienced an anomaly during its NS-23 uncrewed sub-orbital spaceflight mission of the New Shepard rocket, which launched on September 12, 2022. The flight was carrying the capsule RSS H.G. Wells and the propulsion module Tail 3, and involved thirty-six payloads, including eighteen funded by NASA's Flight Opportunities program.

During the flight, the booster failed during max q, triggering the Crew Capsule escape system. This system functioned as designed and brought the capsule and its payloads to a safe landing at Launch Site One with no damage. The Propulsion Module, on the other hand, commanded a shutdown of the BE-3PM engine and followed an unpowered trajectory to impact within the defined flight safety analysis prediction, resulting in no danger to human life or property.

In this episode, we'll be discussing a recent report suggesting that a subsidiary of Saudi Arabia's investment fund and an Abu Dhabi investment firm are planning to participate in a multibillion-dollar funding round for SpaceX, Elon Musk's private space company. With SpaceX's valuation potentially reaching $140 billion, this would make it one of the largest privately-owned companies in the world by valuation.

Join us as we unpack the implications of this investment and what it means for the future of SpaceX and the private space industry as a whole. We'll take a closer look at the company's recent achievements, from the impressive milestones of the Falcon 9 rocket to the ambitious plans for the Starship and Mars colonization. We'll also discuss the growing interest in the private space industry from the Middle East and the potential ethical considerations of accepting investments from these sources.