'33 engines’: SpaceX to launch world’s largest rocket for Starship test flight
Produced by Tarun Mishra
Produced by Tarun Mishra
SpaceX assembled its Starship spacecraft atop a Super Heavy booster on January 10 at its Starbase facility in South Texas. The rocket is set to launch on January 13 at 5 p.m. EST (2200 GMT).
With the Starship upper stage mounted on its Super Heavy booster, the rocket stands nearly 400 feet (122 meters) tall, making it the tallest and most powerful rocket currently operational.
The Flight 7 test mission includes deploying simulated Starlink satellites, testing upgrades to the flight computer, avionics, heat shield, and performing reentry experiments for future reuse.
For the first time, SpaceX will reuse the 33-engine Super Heavy booster, demonstrating progress toward creating a fully reusable launch system.
The Starship vehicle for Flight 7 features smaller forward flaps repositioned to minimise heat exposure during reentry. These changes aim to improve vehicle durability.
The Super Heavy booster is expected to return to Earth for a potential catch using SpaceX’s “chopstick” arms at the launch pad. If safety criteria are not met, the booster will default to a soft landing in the Gulf of Mexico.
Flight 7 is part of SpaceX's larger goal to establish a reusable launch system for missions to Earth orbit, the Moon, Mars, and beyond. The company plans 25 Starship launches in 2025, with the spacecraft slated for lunar landings under NASA's Artemis program and potential Mars missions as early as 2026.
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