SpaceX will launch its seventh Starship test flight on Thursday, which will test its payload deployment abilities.
The spacecraft will lift off from SpaceX’s Starbase facility in southern Texas after 4 pm, local time. It will release 10 simulators of a similar size to Starlink satellites, a test for future satellite launch missions.
“The upcoming flight test will launch a new generation ship with significant upgrades, attempt Starship’s first payload deployment test, fly multiple reentry experiments geared towards ship catch and reuse, and launch and return the Super Heavy booster,” according to SpaceX.
The Starship craft will fly for around one hour before splashing down in the Indian Ocean, along with its satellite simulators.
The launch will reuse the Super Heavy booster from SpaceX’s fifth Starship flight, which was caught after its launch with a pair of large metal pincers and returned to the Starbase facility. SpaceX also aims to catch the booster after Thursday’s flight.
Starship has been redesigned since its previous launch, and will include a new flight computer and communications antennas built for Starlink and GNSS.
The spacecraft will stream more than 120 megabits per second of real-time video and flight data during every stage of its flight, the company said.
The launch was initially scheduled on 15 January, but was delayed one day due to weather issues. The Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) approved launch period will be from 9-17 January.
The FAA is also set to rule on SpaceX’s request to increase its allowed number of annual launches to 25 in the coming weeks, after a public comment period ends on 17 January.
Starship’s launch will be livestreamed on SpaceX’s website, X account, and X TV app.