Get All Access for $5/mo

Video: SpaceX Is Launching Starship's Sixth Test Flight—Watch the Lift Off and Catch Attempt Live President-elect Donald Trump is expected to attend SpaceX's sixth test flight of its Starship rocket on Tuesday.

By Erin Davis

CHANDAN KHANNA/AFP | Getty Images
A man watches a SpaceX plane as it flies past the SpaceX Starship at the launch pad ahead of its sixth flight test from Starbase in Boca Chica, Texas, on November 17, 2024. The test is scheduled for November 19, 2024.

What Time Is Starship Launching Tuesday?

The sixth flight test of Starship is targeted to lift off on Tuesday, November 19. The 30-minute launch window opens at 5 p.m. EST.

How Can I Watch the Sixth Starship Test Flight?

A live webcast of the flight test will begin about 40 minutes before liftoff, which you can watch on the SpaceX website, and live on X @SpaceX.

Watch it live, here:

The test flight comes a month after its mega-viral fifth test flight, where the SpaceX team successfully saw its Super Heavy booster return to the launch site and be caught by "chopstick arms" on its first attempt.

Where Is Starship Launching From?

Starship launches from SpaceX's Boca Chica, Texas, campus on the Gulf Coast near Brownsville.

What Is New for the Sixth Test Flight of Starship?

The 30-foot-wide, 397-foot-tall rocket will launch with the same goals as the fifth fight, "to expand the envelope on ship and booster capabilities and get closer to bringing reuse of the entire system online," according to SpaceX.

The company says that this flight's objectives "include the booster once again returning to the launch site for the catch, reigniting a ship Raptor engine while in space, and testing a suite of heatshield experiments and maneuvering changes for ship reentry and descent over the Indian Ocean."

SpaceX notes that this flight also has "hardware upgrades" and "updated software controls" with "several thermal protection experiments and operational changes will test the limits of Starship's capabilities and generate flight data to inform plans for ship catch and reuse."

Will There Be a Seventh Test Flight?

SpaceX says on its website that there will be more test flights "with significant upgrades including redesigned forward flaps, larger propellant tanks, and the latest generation tiles and secondary thermal protection layers as we continue to iterate towards a fully reusable heat shield."

New dates have not yet been publicly released.

Erin Davis

Entrepreneur Staff

Freelance Writer

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Growing a Business

This Cozy Coffee and Garden Shop Has Become a Staple in Its Community By Following 5 Smart Strategies

Maypop is a combination coffee and garden shop where a blend of community building and customer service creates an unforgettable experience.

Business News

OpenAI Just Released Its Text-to-Video Generator, Sora. Here's How the New AI Could Impact Small Businesses and Creators.

Sora has a variety of use cases for businesses, from social media campaigns to video creation.

Franchise

McDonald's Announces the Return of the Snack Wrap in 2025 — Here's What to Expect From Its Comeback

The decision comes after years of persistent customer demand for the portable snack, which debuted nearly two decades ago.

Business News

Who Is Luigi Mangione? UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson Murder Suspect Arrested in Pennsylvania on Firearms Charge

Mangione, 26, has not been charged in connection with the killing of Thompson.

Innovation

These Entrepreneurs Created a League That Turns Gamers Into Pro Race Car Drivers: 'We're Giving Drivers a Sustainable Career Path'

Racing Prodigy's innovative E2Real sports league is lowering the high-cost barrier to entry for drivers to take their passion to the track.

Business News

'Faster, Smarter, and More Relevant': Reddit Tests AI That Combs the Site For You

The AI is like a blend of Google and ChatGPT, tailored specifically for Reddit.