SpaceX is preparing for its 10th Starship test flight, with a launch window set for August 24 at the company’s Starbase in Texas. The fully stacked Starship vehicle will carry out incremental upgrades and fly Booster 16 and Ship 37, both Block 2 variants of the Super Heavy booster.
The mission comes at a critical juncture in Starship’s development, with three previous flights this year ending in loss of the upper stage. SpaceX must meet an increasingly tight timeline to deliver the spacecraft as part of NASA’s Artemis 3 mission to the moon by 2027.
Starship Flight 10 will deploy eight satellite simulators, perform an engine relight, and attempt a controlled splashdown in the Indian Ocean. Booster 16 will follow a similar trajectory but land in the Gulf of Mexico.
The launch follows recent mishaps, including a static test fire that destroyed Ship 36 and damaged infrastructure. Investigations are complete, and Starship is now ready to proceed with its objectives.
This test flight marks another milestone in SpaceX’s pursuit of making human life multiplanetary and supporting NASA’s Artemis program.
Source: https://www.space.com/space-exploration/launches-spacecraft/spacex-targeting-date-for-10th-starship-rocket-test-flight