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It’s official: SpaceX is ready to launch what may be the most ambitious Starship test flight yet, and if you’re hoping to watch it live online, don’t worry. We’ve got you covered.
SpaceX’s next Starship test launch, called Starship Flight 5, is now officially scheduled for launch Sunday, October 13 at 8:00 AM EDT (1200 GMT) from the company’s Starbase facility near Boca Chica Beach in South Texas. At launch it will be 7am local time at the location. You can watch the launch live on Space.com, thanks to a SpaceX simulcast, starting 7:25 a.m. EDT (1125 GMT).
As the name suggests, Flight 5 is SpaceX’s fifth test flight of its massive Starship and Super Heavy rocket, the world’s largest and most powerful booster. For this flight, SpaceX hopes to launch Starship on a smooth flight and return to the Indian Ocean. But in a twist, SpaceX will attempt to return the Super Heavy first stage to its launch pad and capture the booster in mid-air using giant metal “chopsticks” arms of its “Mechazilla” pad structure. The system is designed to shorten the turnaround time of Starship launches. Follow our Starship live updates for more mission milestones.
What time does SpaceX’s Starship Flight 5 launch?
SpaceX’s Starship Flight 5 is currently scheduled to launch 8 a.m. EDT (1200 GMT), or 7 a.m. CDT from the company’s Starbase testing site near Boca Chica Beach in South Texas. However, SpaceX has a window of 30 minutes to launch the Flight 5 mission. That means Starship can take off at any time in between 8:00 AM and 8:30 AM EDT (1230 GMT).
“SpaceX engineers have prepared for years and tested for months for the booster capture attempt, with engineers putting in tens of thousands of hours building the infrastructure to maximize our chances of success,” SpaceX wrote in a mission statement. “We will not accept any compromises when it comes to ensuring the safety of the public and our team, and the return will only be attempted when conditions are right.”
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When fully stacked, SpaceX’s Starship and Super Heavy booster are the world’s tallest and most powerful rocket. They stand nearly 400 feet tall, with 33 Raptor engines powering the Super Heavy first stage, while six Raptor engines power the Starship spacecraft.
SpaceX reached space for the first time with a spaceship during the Flight 4 test flight on June 6, but the spaceship suffered some fin burnout during reentry. The Super Heavy successfully made a “soft landing” in the Gulf of Mexico.
“Starship’s fifth flight test will aim to take another step toward full and rapid reusability,” SpaceX wrote in its mission statement. “The main objectives will be to attempt to return to the launch site for the first time and capture the Super Heavy booster, and to make another Starship entry and landing, with the aim of landing a Starship on the target dumped in the Indian Ocean.”
SpaceX plans to make Starship and Super Heavy a fully reusable launch system. NASA has chosen the towering stainless steel rocket to land its Artemis 3 astronauts on the moon in late 2026.
Related: Read our SpaceX Spaceship and Super Heavy guide for a detailed overview
Initially, the Federal Aviation Administration told SpaceX that Flight 5 would not receive a launch license until sometime in November due to the time needed for reviews. That led to complaints from SpaceX, which argued the delay was unnecessary because the company had been ready to launch since August. The FAA ultimately granted a new launch license to SpaceX on October 12, clearing the way for the launch.
“The FAA has issued a license modification authorizing SpaceX to launch multiple missions of the Starship/Super Heavy vehicle under the Flight 5 mission profile,” FAA officials wrote in an Oct. 12 statement. “The FAA determined that SpaceX met all safety, environmental and other licensing requirements for the suborbital test flight.”
Can I watch the launch of SpaceX’s Starship Flight 5?
Yes, you can watch the SpaceX Starship Flight 5 launch online, and there are several sites where you can find live streams, including Space.com.
SpaceX’s official launch livestream can be found on the company’s X account (formerly Twitter). 35 minutes before launch – so at approximately 7:25 a.m. EDT (1125 GMT).
Space.com’s own VideoFromSpace YouTube channel will simulcast SpaceX’s official webcast and it will appear on this page and at the top of our homepage.
However, several SpaceX viewing sites with cameras at Starbase will host livestreams in the hours leading up to launch. For example, NASASpaceflight.com’s YouTube channel regularly features live footage of SpaceX’s Starship activities
Starbase pads and other locations. The hosts will provide live commentary during refueling, as in the past.
If you live within driving distance of SpaceX’s Starbase test site, you can try to watch the launch live in person. Although SpaceX does not have an official viewing location, the Starship platform is visible from several public beaches.
On South Padre Island, you can get a clear view of Starship’s path from the shore of Isla Blanca Park and the Cameron County Amphitheater. I watched SpaceX’s Starship Flight 1 from this location in April 2023. There is also a public toilet, that is
a plus, but traffic to the park can be heavy prior to a launch, so plan to arrive early. You should also bring a folding chair, water, sunscreen, and maybe some snacks if you want. The coastline of nearby Port Isabel can also be a good viewing area for launches.
How long is SpaceX’s Starship Flight 5?
If SpaceX replicates its Flight 4 profile for Starship Flight 5, the mission should last just over an hour.
Flight 5 will launch the Starship vehicle on a trajectory that will take it into space and re-enter over the Indian Ocean, west of Australia.
“Starship will follow a similar trajectory to the previous test flight, landing in the Indian Ocean,” SpaceX wrote in its mission statement. “This flight path does not require a deorbit burn for reentry, maximizing public safety while providing the ability to meet our primary objective: a controlled reentry and soft-water landing of the Starship.”
However, the fate of the Super Heavy booster is not certain. While SpaceX hopes to catch the craft in mid-air during a return to its launch pad about seven minutes after liftoff, the company could also land it in the Gulf of Mexico, as it did on Flight 4.
“Thousands of different vehicle and path criteria must be met prior to a Super Heavy booster reentry and capture attempt, which requires healthy systems on the booster and tower and a manual command from the mission Flight Director,” wrote SpaceX. “If this command is not sent before the completion of the boostback burn, or if automated health checks reveal unacceptable conditions with Super Heavy or the tower, the booster will default to a trajectory that takes it to a landing burn and a soft splashdown in the air. Gulf of Mexico.”
What if Starship can’t launch on Sunday?
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If SpaceX is unable to launch Starship Flight 5 on October 13, the company can try again 24 hours later on October 14.
According to a road closure alert from Cameron County, the region of South Texas where SpaceX’s Starbase facility is located, officials have listed road and beach closures at Boca Chica Beach for launch day on October 13. with “possible closures” on October 14 and 15. These closures will last all three days from 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM local time, indicating that SpaceX could have a maximum of three chances to launch Flight 5.
As always, any attempt at a backup launch will depend on how far SpaceX reaches in its Starship and Super Heavy fuel process. SpaceX has said in the past that it will take several days to replenish the more than 10 million pounds of supercold liquid methane and liquid oxygen propellant needed for the launch.
If a substantial technical issue or problem arises during the Flight 5 launch countdown, SpaceX will likely have to wait until the issue is resolved before trying again.
Editor’s note: Visit Space.com early October 13 for full coverage of SpaceX’s Starship Flight 5 launch test.