SpaceX sets September 22 target for first orbital Starship test

SpaceX says the next Starship test flight, the 14th, could launch as soon as September 22. The vehicle stands roughly 400 feet tall with the ship on top of its Super Heavy booster and would lift off from Starbase in south Texas.

This would be the first orbital attempt for the ship, according to the company. The 13 earlier flights stayed suborbital. Instead of splashing down as those did, the ship is meant to come down in the Pacific Ocean, which will likely require aircraft hazard areas different from the ones used before.

The launch window runs 75 minutes and opens at 8:15 a.m. EDT, SpaceX said. If the first attempt is scrubbed, a backup opportunity opens at the same time the next day.

Airspace planning is still taking shape. The Federal Aviation Administration has not yet communicated the hazard areas for this mission, or any debris response areas that might be needed. Those measures were activated twice in early 2025 after Starship vehicles exploded, diverting aircraft away from falling debris. No aircraft were reported hit in either case.

Controllers build hazard areas using temporary flight restrictions, stationary altitude reservations, ATC-assigned airspace and other tools. Notices to airmen carrying those areas typically reach pilots 48 to 72 hours before a planned launch, according to the FAA Safety Briefing Magazine.

Hazard areas for Starship flights have grown as SpaceX has fielded larger, more powerful versions of the rocket, which present a greater risk if something goes wrong.