How to view SpaceX's eighth Starship flight test this week.

How to view SpaceX's eighth Starship flight test this week.

      SpaceX has announced its intention to conduct the eighth test of the Starship, the most powerful rocket to ever fly, on Friday, February 28. This comes shortly after SpaceX CEO Elon Musk disclosed that the Starship will “fly Friday.” The company has provided a planned launch time for the rocket test, which is set to eventually support crew and cargo missions to the moon, and potentially to Mars.

      On its website, SpaceX indicated that it has completed its review of the upper-stage Starship spacecraft's loss during the seventh test flight in January. The spacecraft disintegrated dramatically over the Caribbean after successfully separating from the Super Heavy booster. SpaceX attributed the failure to unanticipated vibrations during the flight, which inflicted extra stress on the vehicle, leading to propellant leaks and fires that ultimately resulted in the Starship's fragmentation.

      For the eighth Starship flight, SpaceX aims to achieve goals that were not met in the previous test, including the inaugural payload deployment of four Starlink simulators, which are comparable in size to the next-generation Starlink satellites. As has been standard, there will be an effort to capture the returning Super Heavy booster using two mechanical arms on the launch tower, a notable accomplishment successfully executed during the fifth and seventh test flights.

      Additionally, this mission will involve deploying various experiments aimed at facilitating the upper stage's return to the launch site, although for this flight, SpaceX appears to plan a controlled landing in the Indian Ocean.

      The Super Heavy booster will feature enhanced avionics, including a more robust flight computer, improved power and network distribution systems, and integrated smart batteries, according to SpaceX.

      How to watch:

      SpaceX plans to launch the eighth test flight of the Super Heavy at 5:30 p.m. CT (6:30 p.m. ET / 3:30 p.m. PT) on February 28. As with prior Starship tests, the rocket will take off from SpaceX’s Starbase facility in Boca Chica, Texas. A live webcast of the mission will commence approximately 40 minutes before liftoff, which viewers can watch on SpaceX’s website or their X account.

      SpaceX advises that, like all developmental rocket tests, the timeline is subject to change, so it's advisable to check back here or monitor SpaceX’s X account for the most recent updates.

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How to view SpaceX's eighth Starship flight test this week.

SpaceX has announced that it aims to conduct the eighth test of the Starship, the strongest rocket ever launched, on Friday, February 28. This announcement follows SpaceX's leader stating that the Starship "flies Friday." The company has provided a planned launch time for this rocket test, which will ultimately be used for […]