SpaceX’s Starship seen from space while awaiting Saturday launch from Texas
The second test flight of Starship was originally slated for Friday but was moved to Saturday so equipment could be replaced.
FILE: SpaceX launches Starship rocket
SpaceX Launched their Starship rocket in April, the most powerful rocket ever built.
BOCA CHICA, Texas – Satellite images released Friday showed the gigantic SpaceX Starship perched on a launch pad in Texas ahead of its second test flight.
The launch from Boca Chica on the Texas Gulf Coast was originally slated for Friday but was postponed to Saturday after SpaceX founder Elon Musk tweeted that a "grid fin actuator" had to be replaced.
Maxar, a satellite intelligence company, released images showing Starship atop its Super Heavy booster as the 400-foot fully reusable launch vehicle awaits a 7 a.m. CST Saturday liftoff.
FORECAST CLEAR FOR SPACEX’S STARSHIP TEST FLIGHT FROM TEXAS WITH HOPEFUL SPLASHDOWN OFF HAWAII
![SpaceX's Starship is seen on the launchpad in Boca Chica, Texas, on Nov. 17, 2023.]()
Image 1 of 2SpaceX's Starship is seen on the launchpad in Boca Chica, Texas, on Nov. 17, 2023. (©2023 Maxar Technologies)
![A closer view of SpaceX's Starship on the launchpad in Boca Chica, Texas, on Nov. 17, 2023.]()
Image 2 of 2A closer view of SpaceX's Starship on the launchpad in Boca Chica, Texas, on Nov. 17, 2023. (©2023 Maxar Technologies)
If all goes according to plan, the Starship will separate from its booster after the launch, fly around the Earth and land in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Hawaii about 90 minutes after liftoff. The booster will land in the Gulf of Mexico 7 minutes after launch.
This launch will mark SpaceX's second attempt to reach orbit with Starship.
A test flight in April ended with an epic explosion over the Gulf of Mexico when SpaceX attempted to launch Starship for the first time. Previous test "hops" were completed in Texas – some also explosive – before SpaceX tried to launch the spaceship and booster together.