SpaceX Starship Flight 10 Live: Watch the Test
Starship’s Tenth Test Flight: A Crucial Step Towards Mars, or Another Fiery Setback?
Brownsville, Texas - All eyes are on the skies this Sunday, August 24th, as SpaceX prepares for the tenth test flight of its ambitious starship megarocket. Following a string of high-profile failures, the pressure is on for this launch to demonstrate notable progress towards the company’s ultimate goal: reaching Mars by 2026.
The launch window opens at 7:30 p.m. ET, and the world can witness the event live on SpaceX’s website and X account. But beyond the spectacle, this flight represents a critical juncture for the Starship program.
The previous test flight on May 27th ended with the vehicle disintegrating during reentry, marking the third Starship failure of 2025. SpaceX has since been diligently investigating the cause of the mishap and implementing hardware and operational changes to bolster the rocket’s reliability.
This tenth flight will attempt to achieve mission objectives that have eluded previous attempts. For the fourth time, SpaceX will conduct a payload deployment test, releasing 10 Starlink simulators. These simulators, mirroring the size and weight of SpaceX’s next-generation satellites, are designed for a suborbital trajectory and will intentionally burn up upon reentry.
One notable change for this flight is the booster’s landing strategy. Rather of attempting a daring catch at the launch mount, the Super Heavy booster will target an offshore landing in the Gulf of Mexico. This maneuver will test the booster’s landing burn capabilities, including a crucial engine shutdown and backup engine activation during descent. The booster will then use two center engines for the final landing burn, hovering briefly before splashing down in the Gulf.
Adding another layer of intrigue,SpaceX is intentionally removing several heat shield tiles from Starship’s upper stage.This “stress-test” will expose vulnerable areas and hot spots identified during the sixth flight test, providing valuable data on the vehicle’s performance under extreme conditions.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has granted SpaceX the green light for this flight after concluding its investigation into Flight 9. The investigation pinpointed structural issues leading to a dangerous mixing of methane and liquid oxygen, resulting in ignition. To prevent a recurrence, SpaceX will lower the booster’s descent angle to reduce aerodynamic forces.
The road to Flight 10 has been fraught with challenges. A June 18th explosion at SpaceX’s Massey facility near Starbase destroyed the Starship prototype intended for this flight. The incident was traced to a damaged composite overwrapped pressure vessel (COPV) used to store nitrogen in Starship’s payload bay. As a corrective measure, COPVs on upcoming flights will operate at reduced pressure, with enhanced inspections and proof tests prior to propellant loading.
Earlier this year, Starship’s seventh test flight in January ended with the upper stage exploding shortly after launch, and the eighth flight in March met a similar fate.
Despite these setbacks, SpaceX remains determined to push the boundaries of space exploration. This tenth test flight is not just about reaching for the stars; it’