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Upcoming seventh launch of SpaceX Starship
This article is about the seventh flight test of the Starship+Super Heavy vehicle. For other launches of Starship, see List of Starship launches.
Starship flight test 7 will be the seventh flight test of a SpaceX Starship launch vehicle. The prototype vehicles expected to be flown are Ship 33, the first Block 2 upper stage, and Booster 14, a Block 1 vehicle. An engine from B12, Raptor #314, will be reflown on Booster 14 after having previously supported Booster 12 during flight 5.
Flight 7 is targeted to liftoff from Texas at 4:00 pm CST (22:00 UTC) on January 13, 2025. The FAA granted a launch license covering multiple flights of Starship, including flight 7, on December 17.
Background
Vehicle testing ahead of launch
Ship 33, a Block 2 Starship, is expected to be flown on flight 7. In October 2024, Ship 33 underwent cryogenic testing. Its counterpart, Booster 14, also underwent cryogenic testing in October. Booster 14 rolled out to OLP-1 and conducted a successful spin prime test and static fire in early December. It then returned to the production site for final pre-flight modifications. Ship 33 also underwent a combination of spin prime and static fire tests later in the month.
NASA imaging of Starship
For this launch, NASA plans to use a specially equipped Gulfstream V aircraft (N95NA) to capture images of the Starship's re-entry and peak-heating. The aircraft will be positioned to observe the spacecraft as it emerges over the horizon and splashes down in the eastern Indian Ocean. To ensure optimal imaging conditions, the aircraft must fly with its exterior and interior lights extinguished. This poses significant safety risks, requiring a waiver from aviation authorities and stringent procedures to prevent other aircraft from entering the flight path.
NASA has requested an expedited waiver from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to commence practice flights over the Gulf of Mexico and Southwest Texas in early December. Subsequently, the aircraft will be flown to Perth, Australia on January 3 for additional practice flights in the actual landing zone, ahead of the targeted Flight Test 7 on January 10, 2025. If the FAA approves the waiver, Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority has indicated its willingness to honor the exemption, allowing for both practice flights and the imaging flight during Flight Test 7.
Mission profile
The mission profile for flight test 7 will be similar to that of the previous launch, targeting a splashdown in the Indian Ocean while also attempting an in-space engine relight. Additionally, S33 will deploy ten Starlink "simulators", which will also reenter over the Indian Ocean.
Flight timeline
Time
Event
January 13, 2025
−01:15:00
Flight director conducts a poll and verifies go for propellant loading
