SpaceX is set to launch its super-heavy lift rocket, Starship, into a blistering pace of launches in 2025. The company aims to conduct up to 25 missions with the nearly 40-story-tall rocket, pending approval from federal regulators.
The first mission of the year, dubbed Flight 7, is expected to happen as soon as January 10, according to current maritime and aviation warnings. SpaceX has not yet announced a specific launch date for the mission.
Flight 7 will feature several upgrades, including the first Block 2 Starship upper stage, tail number S33, which boasts improved propulsion system performance and longer mission capabilities. The rocket will also include a test payload deployment, consisting of 10 “Starlink simulators” similar in size and weight to next-generation Starlink satellites.
SpaceX’s ambitious goal is to achieve full reusability with Starship by 2025, with the company planning to send a tanker version of the spacecraft into low Earth orbit for propellant transfers. This will be crucial for NASA’s Artemis program, which relies on Starship as the Human Landing System for missions to the Moon.
To support this goal, SpaceX is working with the FAA to increase the number of Starship launches and landings at its Starbase facilities in southern Texas up to 25. The company has scheduled several public meetings to discuss its plans and gather feedback from stakeholders.
Source: https://spaceflightnow.com/2025/01/04/spacex-to-attempt-first-payload-deployment-engine-reuse-during-starship-flight-7