SpaceX Targets Monday for Starship Flight 8

FAA is preparing for the eighth test flight of the Starship rocket as it contemplates handing over a Verizon contract to Starlink.

Thursday, February 27, 2025 at 04:56 PM ET

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SpaceX returns Starship’s Super Heavy booster to the launch pad during Flight 7, a feat Flight 8 will attempt to re-create. [Courtesy: SpaceX]

Key Takeaways:

SpaceX is preparing for Starship's eighth test flight, scheduled to launch on Monday, with objectives including a booster catch, in-orbit engine relight, and new feats like payload deployment and heat tile experiments.
The upcoming flight follows an FAA grounding due to Flight 7's explosion, which SpaceX attributed to fuel leaks from a "harmonic response," leading to upgrades and ongoing efforts to close the mishap investigation with the FAA.
The FAA is also considering a $2 billion contract for Starlink (owned by SpaceX) to upgrade its communications systems, raising concerns about a potential conflict of interest given the agency's regulatory oversight of SpaceX.

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As SpaceX and Starlink become increasingly tangled with the FAA, which regulates those companies, the agency is gearing up for the next launch of SpaceX’s Starship.

According to the FAA’s current operations plan advisory, the launch window for the eighth test flight of Starship—the largest rocket to ever fly—opens Monday at 6:30 p.m. EST. SpaceX confirmed that in an update Thursday. The company had previously been aiming to fly Friday.

Jack Daleo

Jack is a staff writer covering advanced air mobility, including everything from drones to unmanned aircraft systems to space travel—and a whole lot more. He spent close to two years reporting on drone delivery for FreightWaves, covering the biggest news and developments in the space and connecting with industry executives and experts. Jack is also a basketball aficionado, a frequent traveler and a lover of all things logistics.