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SpaceX announced Tuesday that it will launch its flagship Starship rocket into orbit next week, marking a crucial step toward future lunar and Martian missions.
The company scheduled liftoff for Tuesday at 7:15 am local time from its Texas facility.
For this 14th test flight, SpaceX will attempt to deploy 26 Starlink satellites into orbit alongside the primary launch objectives.
The upcoming launch transitions the Starship programme away from suborbital test paths toward full orbital capabilities.
Previous test flights intentionally used suborbital trajectories to protect public safety, but reaching orbit allows SpaceX to test system designs required for rapid rocket reusability.
While early Starship tests resulted in explosive failures, the vehicle’s most recent flight in July achieved major success.
However, SpaceX must still master several critical technical hurdles, including in-space refuelling, before the massive rocket can conduct commercial operations or interplanetary journeys.
