SpaceX is preparing for the seventh test flight of the Starship rocket, which will be the first time it will try to deploy Starlink models on board a rocket.
The launch of Starship is scheduled for Friday, January 10, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk wrote on his X social media page in late December. The last few launches have been a real celebration, and SpaceX is ready to take it up a notch for the lucky number seven. “A suite of planned upgrades to the Starship upper stage will debut on this flight test that will provide significant reliability and performance improvements,” SpaceX said in a statement.
For the seventh test flight, SpaceX will launch “a next-generation vehicle with significant upgrades,” the company added. These upgrades include a smaller front flap that is located higher on the rocket to reduce heat during reentry. According to SpaceX, the Starship’s propulsion system has been upgraded to hold 25% more fuel, and avionics have been improved for better valve control and sensor readings, which has increased performance and allowed for longer missions.
The Starship’s heat shield will also use new, modernized tiles with a backup layer underneath in case any of the tiles fall off or are damaged during reentry. SpaceX has also carried out a “complete redesign” of the Starship’s avionics, including a “more powerful onboard computer” and integrated antennas to combine Starlink, GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) and backup radio frequency communications in each unit.
During the upcoming test flight, SpaceX will attempt to conduct the first Starship payload deployment test. For this test, the rocket will launch 10 Starlink simulators into orbit, which will be similar in size and weight to the company’s next-generation satellites. However, the simulators will not remain in orbit, but will return to a suborbital trajectory similar to the suborbital trajectory of the rocket itself.
Last year, the company made significant progress in the development of Starship. The last test flight of the rocket took place on November 20, 2024, and although the company refused to grab the accelerator, the suborbital launch is still considered a success. Earlier, in October 2024, Starship made a revolutionary fifth test flight. For the first time, the 232-foot (71-meter) high super-heavy launch vehicle was held in the air by giant mechanical manipulators.
SpaceX plans to return and reuse both the Starship booster and its upper stage. Musk has already stated that SpaceX intends to catch the upper stage with the Mechazilla (nickname for the launch and catching mount) sometime this year. SpaceX has big plans for its mega rocket this year, hoping to launch it up to 25 times in 2025. On Tuesday, the US Federal Aviation Administration is holding a public meeting to discuss the prospect of increasing the number of annual Starship launches.
