It is official: SpaceX is “go” to launch what could also be its most bold Starship check flight but, and in case you’re hoping to look at it reside on-line, don’t fret. We have you coated.
SpaceX’s subsequent Starship check launch, referred to as Starship Flight 5, is now formally scheduled to launch on Sunday, Oct. 13, at 8 a.m. EDT (1200 GMT) from the corporate’s Starbase facility close to Boca Chica Seaside in South Texas. It is going to be 7 a.m. native time on the website at launch time. You’ll watch the launch reside on House.com, courtesy of a SpaceX simulcast, starting at 7:25 a.m. EDT (1125 GMT).
As its identify suggests, Flight 5 is SpaceX’s fifth check flight of its large Starship and Tremendous Heavy rocket, the world’s largest and strongest booster. For this flight, SpaceX hopes to launch Starship on a easy flight and reentry to splash down within the Indian Ocean. However in a twist, SpaceX will try and return the Tremendous Heavy first stage to its launch pad and seize the booster in mid-air utilizing large metallic “chopstick” arms of its “Mechazilla” pad construction. The system is designed to shorten the turnaround time of Starship launches. Comply with our Starship reside updates for extra mission milestones.
What time is SpaceX’s Starship Flight 5 launch?
SpaceX’s Starship Flight 5 is at present scheduled to launch at 8 a.m. EDT (1200 GMT), or 7 a.m. CDT from the corporate’s Starbase check website close to Boca Chica Seaside in South Texas. Nevertheless, SpaceX has a 30-minute window through which to launch the Flight 5 mission. Which means, Starship may elevate off anytime between 8 a.m. and eight:30 a.m. EDT (1230 GMT).
“SpaceX engineers have spent years getting ready and months testing for the booster catch try, with technicians pouring tens of 1000’s of hours into constructing the infrastructure to maximise our possibilities for fulfillment,” SpaceX wrote in a mission overview. “We settle for no compromises relating to making certain the protection of the general public and our staff, and the return will solely be tried if situations are proper.”
When totally stacked, SpaceX’s Starship and Tremendous Heavy booster are the world’s tallest and strongest rocket. They stand practically 400 toes tall (122 meters), with 33 Raptor engines powering the Tremendous Heavy first stage whereas six Raptor engines energy the Starship spacecraft.
SpaceX reached area with a Starship for the primary time on the Flight 4 check flight on June 6, however the Starship automobile skilled some burn by means of on its fins throughout reentry. The Tremendous Heavy efficiently made a “comfortable touchdown” splashdown within the Gulf of Mexico.
“The fifth flight check of Starship will intention to take one other step in the direction of full and fast reusability,” SpaceX wrote in its mission overview. “The first aims shall be trying the primary ever return to launch website and catch of the Tremendous Heavy booster and one other Starship reentry and touchdown burn, aiming for an on-target splashdown of Starship within the Indian Ocean.”
SpaceX plans for Starship and Tremendous Heavy to be a completely reusable launch system. NASA has picked the towering stainless-steel rocket to land its Artemis 3 astronauts on the moon in late 2026.
Associated: Learn our SpaceX Starship and Tremendous Heavy information for an in depth look
Initially, the Federal Aviation Administration informed SpaceX that Flight 5 wouldn’t obtain a launch license till someday in November as a result of time wanted for evaluations. That prompted complaints from SpaceX, which felt the delay was pointless because the firm had been able to to launch since August. The FAA in the end issued a brand new launch license to SpaceX on Oct. 12, clearing the way in which for the launch.
“The FAA has issued a license modification authorizing SpaceX to launch a number of missions of the Starship/Tremendous Heavy automobile on the Flight 5 mission profile,” FAA officers wrote in an Oct. 12 assertion. “The FAA decided SpaceX met all security, environmental and different licensing necessities for the suborbital check flight.”
Can I watch the SpaceX’s Starship Flight 5 launch?
Sure, you’ll be able to watch SpaceX’s Starship Flight 5 launch on-line, and there are a number of websites the place you’ll discover livestreams, together with House.com.
SpaceX’s official launch livestream might be discovered on the corporate’s X account (previously Twitter), beginning 35 minutes earlier than liftoff — so, at about 7:25 a.m. EDT (1125 GMT).
House.com’s personal VideoFromSpace YouTube channel will simulcast SpaceX’s official webcast, and it’ll seem on this web page and on the high of our homepage.
Nevertheless, a number of SpaceX-watching websites with cameras at Starbase will host livestreams within the hours forward of the launch. NASASpaceflight.com’s YouTube channel, for instance, frequently provides reside views of SpaceX’s Starship actions at
Starbase pads and different places. Its hosts will supply reside commentary throughout the fueling course of as previously.
When you do reside inside driving distance of SpaceX’s Starbase check website, you’ll be able to attempt to watch the launch reside in individual. Whereas SpaceX does not have an official viewing website, the Starship pad is seen from a number of public seashores.
On South Padre Island, you’ll find clear views of Starship’s pad from the shore of Isla Blanca Park and Cameron County Amphitheater. I watched SpaceX’s Starship Flight 1 from this location in April 2023. There may be additionally a public restroom, which is
a plus, however site visitors into the park might be heavy forward of a launch so plan to reach early. You may additionally have to convey a folding chair, water, sunscreen and possibly some snacks as you see match. The shoreline of close by Port Isabel will also be a superb viewing zone for launches.
How lengthy is SpaceX’s Starship Flight 5?
If SpaceX replicates its Flight 4 profile for Starship Flight 5, the mission ought to final simply over an hour.
Flight 5 will launch the Starship automobile on a trajectory that may carry it into area and reenter over the Indian Ocean, west of Australia.
“Starship will fly an identical trajectory because the earlier flight check with splashdown focused within the Indian Ocean,” SpaceX wrote in its mission overview. “This flight path doesn’t require a deorbit burn for reentry, maximizing public security whereas nonetheless offering the chance to fulfill our main goal of a managed reentry and comfortable water touchdown of Starship.”
The destiny of the Tremendous Heavy booster, nevertheless, shouldn’t be agency. Whereas SpaceX hopes to attempt to catch it in midair throughout a return to its launch pad about 7 minutes after liftoff, the corporate can also soft-land it within the Gulf of Mexico as on Flight 4.
“Hundreds of distinct automobile and pad standards should be met previous to a return and catch try of the Tremendous Heavy booster, which would require wholesome methods on the booster and tower and a handbook command from the mission’s Flight Director,” SpaceX wrote. “If this command shouldn’t be despatched previous to the completion of the boostback burn, or if automated well being checks present unacceptable situations with Tremendous Heavy or the tower, the booster will default to a trajectory that takes it to a touchdown burn and comfortable splashdown within the Gulf of Mexico.”
| TIME (Hr:Min:Sec) | EVENT | Header Cell – Column 2 |
|---|---|---|
| T-1:15:00 | Flight director ballot for gas loading | Row 0 – Cell 2 |
| T-0:49:50 | Starship liquid methane loading begins | Row 1 – Cell 2 |
| T-0:48:40 | Starship liquid oxygen loading begins | Row 2 – Cell 2 |
| T-0:40:40 | Tremendous Heavy liquid methane loading begins | Row 3 – Cell 2 |
| T-0:34:03 | Tremendous Heavy liquid oxygen loading begins | Row 4 – Cell 2 |
| T-00:19:40 | Tremendous Heavy Raptor engine chilldown | Row 5 – Cell 2 |
| T-00:3:20 | Starship fueling full | Row 6 – Cell 2 |
| T-00:2:50 | Tremendous Heavy fueling full | Row 7 – Cell 2 |
| T-00:0:30 | Flight Director GO for launch | Row 8 – Cell 2 |
| T-00:00:10 | Flame deflector activation | Row 9 – Cell 2 |
| T-00:00:03 | Raptor ignition sequence startup | Row 10 – Cell 2 |
| T-00:00:00 | Liftoff (“Pleasure Assured,” as SpaceX places it.) | Row 11 – Cell 2 |
| TIME (Hr:Min:Sec) | FLIGHT EVENT | Header Cell – Column 2 |
|---|---|---|
| T+00:02 | Liftoff | Row 0 – Cell 2 |
| T+01:02 | Starship/Tremendous Heavy attain Max Q | Row 1 – Cell 2 |
| T+2:33 | Tremendous Heavy foremost engine cutoff | Row 2 – Cell 2 |
| T+2:41 | Scorching-staging separation/Starship Raptor engine ignition | Row 3 – Cell 2 |
| T+2:48 | Tremendous Heavy boostback burn startup | Row 4 – Cell 2 |
| T+3:41 | Tremendous Heavy boostback burn engine shutdown | Row 5 – Cell 2 |
| T+3:43 | Scorching-stage jettison | Row 6 – Cell 2 |
| T+6:08 | Tremendous Heavy is supersonic | Row 7 – Cell 2 |
| T+6:33 | Tremendous Heavy touchdown burn startup | Row 8 – Cell 2 |
| T+6:50 | Tremendous Heavy splashdown (if no catch try) | Row 9 – Cell 2 |
| T+6:56 | Tremendous Heavy touchdown burn shutdown anc catch attempt | Row 10 – Cell 2 |
| T+8:27 | Starship engine cutoff | Row 11 – Cell 2 |
| T+48:03 | Starship reentry | Row 12 – Cell 2 |
| T+1:02:34 | Starship transonic | Row 13 – Cell 2 |
| T+1:03:43 | Starship is subsonic | Row 14 – Cell 2 |
| T+1:05:15 | Touchdown flip | Row 15 – Cell 2 |
| T+1:05:20 | Touchdown burn | Row 16 – Cell 2 |
| T+1:05:34 | “An thrilling touchdown!” SpaceX says. | Row 17 – Cell 2 |
What if Starship cannot launch on Sunday?
If SpaceX is unable to launch Starship Flight 5 on Oct. 13, the corporate could possibly attempt once more 24 hours in a while Oct. 14.
Based on a street closure alert from Cameron County, the area of South Texas that features SpaceX’s Starbase facility, officers have listed street and seashore closures at Boca Chica Seaside for launch day on Oct. 13, with “attainable closures” on Oct. 14 and Oct. 15. These closures run from from 12 a.m. to 2 p.m. native time for all three days, suggesting that SpaceX may have as much as three alternatives to launch Flight 5.
As at all times, any backup launch try does rely on how far SpaceX reaches in its Starship and Tremendous Heavy fueling course of. SpaceX has stated previously that it takes a number of days to restock the greater than 10 million kilos of super-cold liquid methane and liquid oxygen propellant wanted for launch.
If a considerable technical glitch or concern happens throughout the Flight 5 launch countdown, SpaceX would probably have to attend till it’s solved to attempt once more.
Editor’s word: Go to House.com early on Oct. 13 for full protection of SpaceX’s Starship Flight 5 launch check.
