SpaceX is planning to launch its second-ever giant Starship vessel this morning (November 18), and you can watch it live.
Starship, the largest and most powerful rocket ever built, will arrive at SpaceX’s Starbase in South Texas during a 20-minute window starting today at 8 a.m. ET (1 p.m. GMT, 7 a.m. local time in Texas). It will be launched from the site.
Powered by SpaceX and available to watch live on Space.com.or directly through the company. Coverage is scheduled to begin at approximately 7:25 a.m. EDT (12:25 p.m. Japan time).
Related: How to watch SpaceX’s second Starship launch on November 18th
read more: How SpaceX’s second Starship rocket test launch works
SpaceX is developing Starship to carry people and cargo to the moon and Mars, as well as carry out a variety of spaceflight missions closer to home. NASA selected Starship to be the first manned lunar lander for the Artemis program, which also has several civilian lunar missions planned.
The approximately 400-foot-tall (122-meter) vehicle consists of two elements, both of which are designed for complete and rapid reuse. A first stage booster called Super Heavy and an upper stage booster that is 165 feet (50 meters) tall. As a starship.
The two have only flown together once before, on a test flight that took off from Starbase on April 20. The mission was to fly the upper stage halfway around the world and end with a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean near Hawaii. However, Starship’s two stages failed to separate as planned, and SpaceX intentionally destroyed the aircraft over the Gulf of Mexico.
Related: Incredible photos of SpaceX’s first Starship launch
Saturday’s test flight will be a repeat of the April mission, attempting to accomplish what the debut flight failed to accomplish.
If all goes according to plan, Super Heavy will splash down in the Gulf of Mexico about seven minutes after liftoff. Meanwhile, Starship will head east across the ocean, reach near-orbital speed, and descend into the Pacific Ocean near Hawaii about 90 minutes after liftoff.
Saturday’s launch was originally scheduled to take place on Friday (Nov. 17), but SpaceX pushed back the schedule by a day to replace one of the Super Heavy’s grid fins. These waffle iron-shaped structures will help the booster navigate its way back to Earth after liftoff.
