SpaceX Prepares for Starship Flight 7 Launch with Major Upgrades

BOCA CHICA, Texas — SpaceX is gearing up for its seventh Starship test flight, scheduled for Jan. 13, 2025, at its Starbase facility near Boca Chica Beach in South Texas. The launch, set for 5 p.m. EST (2200 GMT), will feature significant upgrades to the world’s largest and most powerful rocket, standing nearly 400 feet (122 meters) tall.

The Starship upper-stage vehicle, stacked atop its Super Heavy booster, will test a series of enhancements, including upgrades to its flight computer, avionics, and heat shield. The mission will also carry 10 simulated Starlink internet satellites, marking the first payload deployment test for Starship. SpaceX aims to achieve full reusability with Starship, a critical step for future missions to Earth orbit, the moon, and Mars.

“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,” SpaceX wrote in its mission overview.

Flight 7 will also test smaller forward flaps on the Starship, moved higher to reduce exposure to reentry heating. Additionally, SpaceX will refly an engine on the Super Heavy booster for the first time, a milestone in its reusability efforts. The Super Heavy booster is designed to return to Earth and be caught by giant metal “chopstick” arms at the launch pad, a maneuver successfully demonstrated in October 2024.

SpaceX officials emphasized safety, stating that the Super Heavy catch will only proceed if critical criteria are met. “We accept no compromises when it comes to ensuring the safety of the public and our team, and the return will only take place if conditions are right,” they wrote.

NASA has selected Starship for its Artemis program, aiming to land astronauts on the moon by 2027. SpaceX founder Elon Musk envisions Starship as a key vehicle for future Mars missions. The company plans up to 25 Starship launches in 2025, pending regulatory approval.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approved a launch license modification on Dec. 17, 2024, enabling the Flight 7 mission. “This license modification is well ahead of the Starship Flight 7 launch date and is another example of the FAA’s commitment to enable safe space transportation,” said Kelvin Coleman, FAA Associate Administrator for Commercial Space Transportation.

SpaceX’s ambitious goals for Starship include testing a tanker version for in-orbit propellant transfers, a critical capability for lunar missions. The company is also working with the FAA to increase the frequency of Starship launches and landings at Starbase, with public meetings scheduled to discuss regulatory adjustments.