Tech Desk 
Nov 07, 2024
Elon Musk’s SpaceX is gearing up to launch its largest rocket ever built, Starship, for the sixth time on November 18, from SpaceX's Starbase site in South Texas.
This comes on the heels of the smooth success of the fifth mission less than a month ago, which includes the historic return of the Super Heavy booster to the launch site, where it was caught mid-air by massive “chopstick” arms and the controlled splashdown of the Starship upper stage in the Indian Ocean.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approved both flights 5 and 6 simultaneously last month, deviating from the previous pattern of waiting for regulatory clearance before each launch.
Read more: SpaceX cancels Falcon 9 launch of 23 Starlink satellites due to Helium leak
Starship’s sixth test
The upcoming test aims to replicate these achievements. SpaceX also plans to continue testing the heat shield and reentry manoeuvres to expand the capabilities of the ship and booster.
For the first time, SpaceX will attempt to relight one of the Starship's six Raptor engines in orbit, a crucial step toward re-using the upper stage.
Moreover, engineers have introduced several upgrades, including enhanced redundancy in the booster propulsion system, updated software controls, and other modifications.
How to watch SpaceX Starship’s sixth flight test?
SpaceX will provide a live webcast of the test, starting 30 minutes before the 2:00pm PT launch window (4:00pm local Texas time). It will be viewable on X or SpaceX’s website. According to SpaceX, this late-afternoon launch window will allow for better viewing conditions during re-entry.
