SpaceX is set to conduct its first test flight of Starship — the biggest and most powerful rocket ever built — within the hour. The 226-feet-tall rocket will lift-off from the “Starbase” spaceport in Boca Chica, Texas at 7.20am local time (13.20 BST) — a 20-minute delay on the originally planned launch time. Should today’s launch need to be postponed — an eventuality SpaceX founder Elon Musk has said is quite possible with such a “risky flight” — additional launch windows have been scheduled for later this week.
How to watch the launch
SpaceX is providing livestreamed coverage of Starship’s launch this afternoon.
The stream can be watched either directly on the SpaceX website, or via their YouTube channel.
Commenting on today’s launch, British astronaut Tim Peake said: ““SpaceX really is thinking big with Starship. This is the biggest and most powerful rocket ever built.
“But its ambition goes way beyond its gargantuan size. It is hoped that the rocket will herald a new era of deep space exploration, unlocking the potential for humans to visit other planets.”
The astronaut — who has served on the International Space Station and has ambitions to go to the Moon — added that SpaceX’s programme: “could be the launchpad for hugely exciting scientific research.
“I’m convinced that collaboration with commercial operators like SpaceX is vital for pushing the boundaries and enabling this new era of deep space exploration.””
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