SpaceX's Starship Set for Historic Launch Attempt on September 28

Starship, recognized as the world's largest rocket, stands at 407 feet tall and is designed to be fully reusable for future missions to the moon and Mars. The company last launched the rocket in July from its Starbase facility in South Texas, near the U.S.-Mexico border. If this upcoming flight, referred to as "flight 14," goes as planned, it could represent a significant milestone in the rocket's development since testing began in April 2023.

The launch window will open between 8:15 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. ET. SpaceX will provide a live stream of the event, starting approximately 30 minutes before liftoff, on its website, along with updates via the social media platform X. This orbital flight is expected to last significantly longer than previous tests, potentially offering hours of live footage as Starship orbits Earth.

Starship is part of Musk's broader vision to establish an interplanetary transportation system capable of carrying large payloads into space. While plans for a lunar city are currently prioritized, SpaceX has announced ambitions for a human-led mission to Mars' orbit without specifying a launch date. Additionally, the company is contracted by NASA to develop a lunar lander version of Starship, known as the Human Landing System, for use in the Artemis program.

For this test flight, the lower-stage booster, called Super Heavy, will land in the Gulf of Mexico after propelling the upper-stage rocket. The upper stage, measuring 171 feet, is expected to ascend to over 170 miles and complete six Earth orbits, culminating in a water landing in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Chile. Flight 14 could also be the first time Starship deploys 26 third-generation Starlink satellites.

Eric Lagatta is the Space Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network.