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STARSHIP
STARSHIP
The third flight test of Starship is targeted to launch Thursday, March 14. The 110-minute test
window opens at 7:00 a.m. CT.
A live webcast of the flight test will begin about 30 minutes before liftoff, which you can watch here
and on X @SpaceX. As is the case with all developmental testing, the schedule is dynamic and likely
to change, so be sure to stay tuned to our X account for updates.
Starship’s second flight test achieved a number of major milestones and provided invaluable data to
continue rapidly developing Starship. Each of these flight tests continue to be just that: a test. They
aren’t occurring in a lab or on a test stand, but are putting flight hardware in a flight environment to
maximize learning.
The third flight test aims to build on what we’ve learned from previous flights while attempting a
number of ambitious objectives, including the successful ascent burn of both stages, opening and
closing Starship’s payload door, a propellant transfer demonstration during the upper stage’s coast
phase, the first ever re-light of a Raptor engine while in space, and a controlled reentry of Starship. It
will also fly a new trajectory, with Starship targeted to splashdown in the Indian Ocean. This new
flight path enables us to attempt new techniques like in-space engine burns while maximizing public
safety.
This rapid iterative development approach has been the basis for all of SpaceX’s major innovative
advancements, including Falcon, Dragon, and Starlink. Recursive improvement is essential as we
work to build a fully reusable transportation system capable of carrying both crew and cargo to Earth
orbit, help humanity return to the Moon, and ultimately travel to Mars and beyond.
COUNTDOWN
HR/MIN/SEC EVENT
01:15:00 SpaceX Flight Director conducts poll and verifies GO for propellant load
HR/MIN/SEC EVENT
00:00:02 Liftoff