SpaceX’s upcoming Starship Flight 8 is scheduled for Friday, as announced by CEO Elon Musk. This announcement came via a post on X, following speculation about a possible launch earlier in the week. Flight 8 will proceed after an unexpected failure of the upper-stage ship during Flight 7, despite prior successful static fire tests for both the first-stage Super Heavy booster and the upper-stage Starship.
Preparation for Starship Flight 8 Following Flight 7
Musk’s statement comes on the heels of increased speculation, particularly after the FAA issued air traffic advisories suggesting a launch could occur as soon as Wednesday. However, the FAA has not yet disclosed details on its mishap report regarding Flight 7’s failure.
The FAA has indicated that it will collaborate with SpaceX to complete the mishap report, a standard procedure that could extend the timeline for subsequent flights. Remarkably, it appears that both SpaceX and the FAA are nearing completion on this report, which could expedite future launches.
Despite the FAA’s communications and notifications from Cameron County officials about flight test activities, SpaceX has not yet confirmed the specific launch date for Flight 8. Local media reports show the launch pad currently unoccupied, while past tests typically involved the assembly of the booster and ship at the launch site prior to a formal announcement.
Musk asserts that Starship Flight 8 is set to proceed on Friday. The specific objectives for this test flight remain uncertain unless further details are provided by SpaceX. The prior flight had ambitious goals, including testing catch hardware, upgraded heat shield tiles, and in-space Raptor engine ignition.
However, these objectives were compromised when the spaceship exploded over the Caribbean, an incident that was largely unforeseen prior to launch. Although the upper-stage Starship has generally performed well in past tests, a fire in the engine bay was cited as the cause of the Flight 7 failure.
If Flight 8 is successful and the vehicle manages to softly splash down in the Indian Ocean, SpaceX may consider attempting to catch the rocket with its launch tower during Flight 9. An FCC filing has indicated plans for either a tower catch or splashdown for both the first and second stages of the rocket. Successfully catching the ship with the tower is a crucial test objective, as it would enhance SpaceX’s confidence in the rocket’s capabilities, essential for future missions involving in-space refueling to develop a propellant depot.
