SpaceX is preparing for the upcoming Flight 14 of its Starship rocket, scheduled for liftoff on Tuesday, September 28, at 8:15 a.m. EDT (1215 GMT) from Starbase, Texas. This mission marks the vehicle's first attempt to reach orbit and will carry a payload of 26 upgraded Starlink V3 satellites designed for high-speed internet.
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Just days before the launch, SpaceX has rolled out the Super Heavy booster, designated Booster 21, to Pad 2 at its Starbase facility. The upper stage, Ship 41, was delivered recently, and both components are now stacked in preparation for a wet dress rehearsal expected on Thursday, September 24. Although SpaceX announced its target date for Flight 14 last week, the mission is still awaiting regulatory approval.
The Flight 14 mission is notable for its expected duration, lasting roughly nine hours compared to previous suborbital flights that averaged around one hour. Booster 21 and Ship 41 are both intended for soft splashdowns at sea—Booster 21 after stage separation, and Ship 41 following approximately six orbits around the Earth, according to information from SpaceX's mission page.