by SpaceX expects to launch its first Starship test of 2024 as early as Thursday (March 14) in what it hopes will be a historic orbital flight of the world’s largest rocket, and if you need to know when to watch online, you expect. in the right place.
SpaceX is focusing March 14 for the launch from its Starbase facility near Boca Chica Beach in South Texas. The IS announced on X that Starship has a 110 minute window Thursday opens at 8 a.m. EDT (1200 GMT).
The company will webcast the launch attempt, starting at 7:30 am EDT (1130 GMT). You can watch the live stream here at Space.com, courtesy of SpaceX.
Related: See our SpaceX Starship and Super Heavy guide for a detailed look
SpaceX’s Starship vehicle and its Super Heavy booster are the world’s tallest and most powerful rocket. When stacked together, they stand 400 feet tall (122 meters), with the first stage powered by 33 Raptor engines, while the upper stage carries six Starship Fish.
SpaceX has designed the Starship launch system to be fully reusable and hopes to use it for deep-space exploration, heavy-lift launches and space tourism. The company has already sold two private trips to Starship, with NASA picking Starship to land its Artemis 3 astronauts on the moon by 2026. But first, SpaceX needs to prove its Starship can reach orbit, let alone the moon, and it has failed to do so in two previous attempts in April and November 2023. Here’s what we know about Flight 3, SpaceX’s third Starship test launch.
What time has SpaceX launched 3rd Starship?
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Right now, SpaceX is focusing March 14 at 8 a.m. EDT (7 a.m. CDT/1200 GMT) for his third Starship test flight. That’s when the 110-minute launch window opens. The company will broadcast a live stream of the lift, starting at 7:30 am EDT (1130 GMT ) on March 14.
SpaceX’s first Starship test flight was launched on April 20, 2023 but never reached space. It was deliberately destroyed when its two phases failed to separate. A second test flight on 18 November successfully reached space, but missed its target altitude. The Super Heavy booster successfully separated from the Starship’s upper stage, but both vehicles were destroyed shortly after stage separation.
“Each of these flight tests is still just that: a test,” SpaceX wrote in the Flight 3 mission description. “They’re not happening in a lab or on a test stand, but they’re putting flight hardware in flying environment to maximize learning.”
Related: How to watch SpaceX’s 3rd Starship launch test online
Can I watch the 3rd SpaceX Starship launch?
Yes, you can watch SpaceX’s third Starship launch online, and you’ll likely have a few options for doing so.
SpaceX will provide a live stream of the Starship launch on its @SpaceX account on X (formerly Twitter), starting 30 minutes before the rise – that is, at 7:30 am EDT (1130 GMT).
But, and this is very important, SpaceX’s plans may change.
“As with all development tests, the schedule is dynamic and likely to change, so be sure to stay tuned to our X account for updates,” the company wrote in a mission overview.
Space.com’s live stream of the Starship Flight 3 launch will also be carried on YouTube and embedded at the top of this page.
You can also find some independent live streams of the SpaceX Starship launch that should include live commentary and visuals.
One site we like to follow is NASASpaceflight.com, which offers regular daily live streams of Starship testing activities at the Starbase facility. There will be extensive coverage of the YouTube live stream on the site, likely starting in the hours before SpaceX’s own webcast. Another option is Everyday Astronaut, which also provides live Starship launch coverage and commentary.
If you happen to be in the Boca Chica, Texas area and hope to see the address in person, you have many options.
There is no official SpaceX viewing site, but you can choose from several public beach areas from which to view the launch. Nearby South Padre Island offers clear views of the rocket from the shore around the Cameron County Amphitheater and Isla Blanca Park. Similar viewing areas can be found around the nearby Port Isabel waterfront and surrounding areas.
I actually watched the launch of Starship Flight 1 in April 2023 from the shores of South Padre Island near the Cameron County Amphitheater, and it offers unobstructed views, of the crowds on the beach and boats in the bay. However, you will want to bring a folding beach chair, water and sunscreen. (Bathrooms are on site.)
Wherever you choose to watch the launch, plan to arrive very early as there may be long delays in traffic arriving at observation sites.
How long is SpaceX’s 3rd Starship flight?
The first two Starship test flights were designed to last 90 minutes, with the Starship vehicle reaching orbital speeds (if not actually entering orbit) and then returning to Earth for re-entry and a splashdown off the coast of Hawaii.
Things may happen faster on Flight 3. SpaceX’s mission description says the Starship’s upper stage will flash down about 65 minutes after liftoff, if all goes according to plan.
There will be other differences as well.
“The third flight test aims to build on what we have learned from previous flights while attempting several ambitious objectives, including the successful burn of both stages, the opening and closing of the Starship’s payload door, a demonstration of propellant transfer during the coast of the upper stage. stage, the first-ever re-lighting of a Raptor engine in space, and a controlled re-entry of Starship,” SpaceX wrote in its mission description. “It will also fly in a new way, with Starship aimed at splashing down in the Indian Ocean. The new flight path enables us to undertake new techniques such as engine combustion in space and maximize public safety.”
Related: SpaceX to push the envelope on the 3rd Starship launch
SpaceX’s first Starship flight aimed to reach an altitude of 146 miles (234 kilometers) while traversing a flight path intended to splash down in the Pacific Ocean about 140 miles (225 km) off the coast of Oahu, Hawaii. The second flight path was largely the same.
While Starship is aiming for a different splash zone on Flight 3, the Super Heavy booster is expected to make a soft landing and splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico, a mile offshore from Boca Chica Beach.
What if Starship can’t be launched?
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If SpaceX is unable to launch on March 14, the company will likely ensure that it has at least a day or two of backup.
Officials with Cameron County, the Texas county where SpaceX’s Starbase facility is located, have issued a beach closure advisory recommending road closures around Starbase until March 16, suggesting possible backup dates. SpaceX has not set a specific range for launch dates, however.
Any second launch attempt would likely depend on how far into the fueling process SpaceX is for the first attempt at Flight 3. SpaceX has said it will take up to several days to replace its propellant depot for the Starship launch. , since the massive rocket and booster consume more than 10 million pounds of supercooled liquid methane and liquid oxygen propellant.
If Spaceflight 3 is delayed by a technical glitch or malfunction, the timing of a new attempt would likely play into how long it takes to address the issue.
Editor’s note: This story was updated at 4:40 pm ET on March 13 with new information about the timing of Flight 3.
