SpaceX’s Starship is a fully reusable super heavy-lift launch vehicle designed for interplanetary travel, with test flights conducted to refine its capabilities. As of early 2025, eight test flights have occurred, with Flights 7 and 8 both ending in the upper stage (Ship) exploding. There are significant technical challenges, possibly related to amplified vibration problems.
There are some rumors about April 20, 2025 being a target for a new Starship launch.
Flight 9 is planned as the next test, potentially using Ship 35 and Booster 16, with speculation about reusing Booster 14.
Flight 9 will not proceed to a tower catch of the Ship without completing the previous test mission goals.
Prior SpaceX Starship Launches
Starship 1: April 20, 2023
Starship 2: November 18, 2023
Starship 3: March 14, 2024
Starship 4: June 6, 2024
Starship 5: October 13, 2024
Starship 6: November 19, 2024
Starship 7: January 16, 2025
Starship 8: March 6, 2025
Brian Wang is a Futurist Thought Leader and a popular Science blogger with 1 million readers per month. His blog Nextbigfuture.com is ranked #1 Science News Blog. It covers many disruptive technology and trends including Space, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, Medicine, Anti-aging Biotechnology, and Nanotechnology.
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SpaceX/Musk shouldn’t rush this. Even an attenuated FAA will start saying “No” to more tests if they keep exploding, and even Trump and NASA have started looking at alternatives to Starship for the Moon mission.
The vibration issue is real and systemic. It’s hard to believe that such a major modification – if one even exists – to counter that can be made in 4 weeks.
Why? So the ships explode, so what? There was never any danger for people or property.
In the headline, why is “May” capitalized? Or is that a hidden prediction? Cause I’d put money that NONE fly in April.
Too much negative coverage to have 3 Starships in a row explode & rain down on people.
You think Elon or this administration care about negative coverage? They almost thrive on it. Welcome to the post-legacy media future!