SpaceX delays Starship’s 7th launch—Here’s when it should take off

Elon Musk has confirmed SpaceX’s plans to delay its next Starship test launch, after it was initially aiming to perform the reusable ship’s sixth liftoff this week.

During a livestream on X on Tuesday, Musk said that Starship’s seventh launch would be delayed “three or four days,” noting that it would now be set for “probably sometime next week.” The update comes after SpaceX was originally aiming to launch Starship for its seventh flight on Friday, after the company launched the craft a sixth time in November, and as the company aims to significantly increase launches this year.

SpaceX has been holding a backup window for the launch running through January 16, so we could see it rescheduled for anytime between Monday and Thursday next week.

Crucially, the seventh launch is also set to be the first time SpaceX has attempted to deploy a payload using Starship, with the company aiming to deploy as many as 10 Starlink simulators as part of testing to evaluate the reusable ship’s deployment capabilities. The Starship will also be aiming to splashdown in the Indian Ocean, instead of catching the vessel with the so-called “Mechazilla” arm.

Following its last launch, SpaceX told the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) that it was looking to gain approval to launch Starship as many as 25 times per year.

During its sixth flight of Starship, SpaceX cancelled plans to catch the rocket, following a successful splashdown of the Super Heavy booster in the Gulf of Mexico. The company later reiterated that having a “faster and harder” catch of Super Heavy was its main goal, with Musk later adding that SpaceX is planning “one more ocean landing of the ship” before trying another catch. Prior to the flight, Musk outlined these four objectives for the test:

Restart of Raptor engines in vacuum.
Daylight landing of the ship.
Higher peak heating (steeper) reentry
Faster/harder booster catch.

What are your thoughts? Let me know at zach@teslarati.com, find me on X at @zacharyvisconti, or send us tips at tips@teslarati.com.

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Author: Zachary Visconti