Countdown to Adventure: Starship’s Groundbreaking 7th Test Flight Revealed!

The coming year is expected to be crucial for Starship, the enormous spacecraft developed and managed by billionaire Elon Musk‘s SpaceX, and it all could commence on Monday with the vehicle’s inaugural flight test of 2025.

The seventh uncrewed flight test of Starship could be the first of an astonishing 25 flights this year if Musk achieves his goals. Musk, the founder and CEO of the commercial space transportation firm, is hoping to secure federal authorization for SpaceX to increase the number of flight tests conducted in 2024 fivefold.

However, while SpaceX awaits the federal aviation administration’s verdict, which regulates commercial rocket launches, a “new generation” Starship will soar through the atmosphere, as the companyindicated in an update on its website.

The new 400-foot Starship spacecraft will incorporate various enhancements and new goals, building upon the achievements SpaceX reached in 2024, including the notable rocket booster catch the company successfully executed in October. Additionally, in a first, the Starship on Monday will strive for a Starlink payload deployment test — a crucial capability for the vehicle moving forward.

“This new year will be revolutionary for Starship, aiming to facilitate the reuse of the entire system and executing increasingly ambitious missions as we progress towards sending humans and cargo to Earth orbit, the moon, and Mars,” SpaceX stated in a report.

Here’s what we are aware of:

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When is the following Starship flight test?

The FAA on Dec. 17 granted a launch license for the upcoming Starship flight test, enabling SpaceX to once again launch the world’s largest rocket from South Texas.

Following weeks of groundwork, SpaceX is now getting ready for the seventh flight test of the Starship vehicle Monday afternoon. The launch window will commence at 4 p.m. at SpaceX’s Starbase in Boca Chica, located near Brownsville.

SpaceX to try booster catch, Starlink satellite deployment test

The Starship vehicle that has rolled out to the launch location is a newly enhanced spacecraft featuring upgrades to its upper stage along with redesigns to its propulsion system and heat shield, as stated by SpaceX.

“All of these contribute to improved vehicle performance and the capability to undertake longer missions,” SpaceX explained.

During the seventh flight test, mission operators intend for Starship to successfully deploy 10 Starlink simulators, comparable in size and weight to next-generation

Starlink satellites. The Starlink simulators will follow the identical suborbital path as Starship, with a splashdown planned in the Indian Ocean.

SpaceX intends to once again make an effort to retrieve the rocket booster and capture it at the launch site, which would generate sonic booms in the vicinity of the touchdown area. This maneuver, which has been successfully executed only once during the October demonstration, was aborted in the latest test conducted in November, attended by President-elect Donald Trump.

This time, the capture tower has been enhanced with new equipment designed to facilitate a booster capture. This includes safeguarding the sensors on the tower’s mechanical arms, referred to as chopsticks, which SpaceX indicated were compromised during the Nov. 19 launch, leading mission operators to redirect the booster for a landing in the Gulf of Mexico.

The Super Heavy rocket booster will be equipped with a Raptor engine from the booster that launched and returned during Starship’s fifth flight test in October — marking the first instance of reusing flight-proven hardware, according to SpaceX. The company also plans to reignite its Raptor engines in space once more to perform an orbital burn — a vital maneuver aimed at eventually returning a spacecraft to the ground.

How to view the Starship launch in Texas

SpaceX will provide a livestream of the flight test beginning approximately 35 minutes prior to liftoff.

The webcast can be accessed on its website and on the social media platform X. Coverage will also be available via SpaceX’s new X TV app.

“As with all developmental tests, the schedule is flexible and subject to change, so be sure to check back here and stay updated on our X account,” SpaceX stated.

SpaceX launch timetable

The aerospace firm has published its schedule for the countdown to Monday’s launch as well as for the test flight itself. All times relate to periods leading up to or following the 4 p.m. launch time.

Countdown

Hour/Minute/Second	Event
01:15:00	SpaceX Flight Director performs poll and confirms GO for propellant load
00:44:59	Ship LOX (liquid oxygen) load commencing
00:42:20	Ship fuel (liquid methane) load commencing
00:41:24	Booster fuel load commencing
00:35:28	Booster LOX load commencing
00:19:40	Raptor initiates engine chill on booster and ship
00:03:20	Ship propellant loading complete
00:02:50	Booster propellant loading complete
00:00:30	SpaceX Flight Director confirms GO for launch
00:00:10	Flame deflector activation
00:00:03	Raptor ignition sequence commences
00:00:00	Excitement ensured

Flight test timeline

Hour/Minute/Second	Event
00:00:02	Liftoff
00:01:02	Max Q (point of utmost aerodynamic stress on the rocket)
00:02:32	Super Heavy MECO (most engines cut off)
00:02:40	Hot-staging (Starship Raptor ignition and stage separation)
00:02:46	Super Heavy boostback burn initiation
00:03:29	Super Heavy boostback burn termination
00:03:31	Hot-stage jettison
00:06:26	Super Heavy reaches transonic
00:06:35	Super Heavy landing burn starts
00:06:55	Super Heavy landing burn ceases and capture occurs
00:08:53	Starship engine shutdown
00:17:33	Payload deployment demonstration
00:37:33	Raptor in-space relight demonstration
00:47:14	Starship enters atmosphere
01:03:12	Starship reaches transonic
01:04:25	Starship becomes subsonic
01:06:13	Landing flip maneuver
01:06:19	Landing burn
01:06:39	A thrilling landing!

USA TODAY assisted in this report.