SpaceX has announced a delay for the much-anticipated seventh test flight of its Starship rocket, shifting the launch date from January 13 to January 15, 2025. This marks the second delay for the mission, which had originally been scheduled for January 10.
For this latest delay, SpaceX did not provide a detailed explanation, but weather conditions are likely a contributing factor, as the area around Boca Chica, Texas, where SpaceX conducts its launches, has been experiencing windy and rainy conditions.
Now targeting Wednesday, January 15 for the seventh flight test of Starship → https://t.co/QNCSPTdYW2 pic.twitter.com/xz8eNkfV0T
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) January 12, 2025
The delay means Starship, the largest and most powerful rocket ever built, will now aim for its seventh flight test at 4 p.m. CT on January 15. This flight will feature a newly upgraded Starship, including redesigned forward flaps, a more advanced propulsion system, and new avionics.
Additionally, the Starship will carry and deploy 10 mock-up Starlink satellites designed to mirror the size and weight of next-generation Starlink payloads.
SpaceX’s Starship Flight 7 is a significant step in the rocket’s development, with several key objectives for the test. One of the most notable goals is to test the Starship’s ability to deploy payloads while in space. Another critical milestone will be the attempted landing of the Super Heavy booster, which SpaceX hopes to catch using its launch tower arms.
This maneuver was successfully completed in its first attempt during the fifth test flight, but not in the sixth test flight due to anomalies that resulted in an abort of the catch attempt.
In addition to these milestones, the test will feature a first for the Starship program – the reuse of a Raptor engine from a previous flight, marking an important step toward SpaceX’s goal of reusing hardware to lower the cost of space missions. SpaceX also intends to test in-space ignition of a Raptor engine during Flight 7, a necessary step for future orbital missions.
