SpaceX is set to launch its ninth Starship test flight today at 7:30 p.m. EDT (2330 GMT). The event marks a crucial milestone in the development of the giant rocket, which is designed to be reusable and capable of carrying humans to Mars.
CEO Elon Musk will provide an update on his company’s vision for making humanity a multiplanetary species before the launch. The live stream will begin at 6:50 p.m. EDT (2250 GMT) and will feature Starship’s ninth test flight, which is expected to last around an hour.
During the event, SpaceX will attempt to successfully fly a new path that its predecessor failed to complete in March. The rocket will also deploy eight dummy Starlink satellites and relight one of its engines.
The launch comes after two recent setbacks for Starship, including the explosion of its upper stage during flight tests in January and March. Despite these challenges, SpaceX has made significant progress in developing the rocket, with multiple successful first-stage launches.
NASA has contracted SpaceX to develop Starship as part of the Artemis 3 mission to return astronauts to the moon by 2027. The company must land at least one uncrewed Starship on the moon and then successfully launch it back into lunar orbit before the mission.
The live stream will be available on Space.com, YouTube, and SpaceX’s official channels.
Source: https://www.space.com/space-exploration/launches-spacecraft/how-to-watch-spacexs-starship-flight-9-launch-and-elon-musks-mars-update-today