Just weeks after SpaceX amazed the world with the precise landing of a giant rocket booster, the company is gearing up for another test flight of the most powerful launch vehicle ever constructed.
SpaceX plans to repeat the ambitious maneuver of guiding the Super Heavy booster back into the mechanical arms, or “chopsticks,” of a launch tower.
Standing nearly 400 feet (121 meters) tall, the two-stage megarocket, featuring the Starship spacecraft atop the Super Heavy booster, is set for liftoff as early as November 19 from SpaceX’s Starbase facility in Brownsville, Texas. The test flight is scheduled during a 30-minute window starting at 5 p.m. ET on Tuesday.
The event will be live-streamed on SpaceX’s X account, with the company noting that the timing may be subject to change.
Notably, U.S. President-elect Donald Trump is expected to attend the launch, alongside SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, further reflecting Musk’s growing influence in political circles.
The Starship spacecraft, designed to serve as a lunar lander, is central to NASA’s goal of returning astronauts to the moon by 2026. This test flight is part of SpaceX’s broader mission to develop a fully reusable launch system, which is essential to reducing the cost and time of space exploration.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed that SpaceX met all safety, environmental, and licensing requirements for this suborbital test flight. It noted that the flight path is similar to an earlier test and required no extensive review of licensing alterations.
SpaceX’s previous test flight on October 13 garnered global attention when the 232-foot (71-meter) Super Heavy booster successfully landed using the company’s innovative “chopsticks” mechanism.
“Starship’s fifth flight test marked a key milestone toward achieving a fully reusable launch system,” SpaceX said in a statement, highlighting the company’s ongoing efforts to revolutionize space travel.
