What time is SpaceX's Starship Flight 6 launch test on Nov. 18?

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SpaceX is gearing up to launch its next Starship test flight, a mission that will attempt a second catch of the world's largest rocket on Monday (Nov. 18). But if you're hoping to watch the launch live online, you'll need to know when to tune in.

Currently, SpaceX's Starship Flight 6 test flight is scheduled to launch no earlier than Monday, Nov. 18, at 5 p.m. EST (2100 GMT) from the company's Starbase site in South Texas, near Boca Chica Beach. This will be SpaceX's sixth test flight of a Starship spacecraft and its Super Heavy booster, as well as the second attempt to catch the giant Super Heavy after a stunning launch and rocket catch last month.

You can watch the launch live on Space.com, courtesy of SpaceX, in a livestream that will likely begin about 30 minutes before launch time. Follow our Starship live updates for more mission milestones.

What time is SpaceX's Starship Flight 6 test launch?

As of press time, the Starship Flight 6 test is scheduled to launch at 5 p.m. EST (2100 GMT), or 4 p.m. CST from SpaceX's Starbase facility near Boca Chica Beach in South Texas. SpaceX has a 30-minute window in which to launch the Flight 5 mission. This means that Starship Flight 6 could lift off sometime between 5 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. EST (2130 GMT).

"The next Starship flight test aims to expand the envelope on ship and booster capabilities and get closer to bringing reuse of the entire system online.," SpaceX wrote in a mission overview.

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SpaceX's Starship and Super Heavy booster stand nearly 400 feet tall (122 meters) when fully assembled, making it the world's tallest rocket. The first stage's 33 Raptor engines and six others on the Starship upper stage also make it the world's most powerful launcher.

The first Starship to reach space was the Flight 3 test vehicle, which launched on March 14. Flight 4, on June 6, was a complete success, with both Super Heavy and Starship landing in their respective splashdown zones.

SpaceX made a grander demonstration on Oct. 13 with Flight 5. That mission not only sent its Starship into space and landed it in the Indian Ocean but also returned its Super Heavy booster to Earth in a successful catch by the "Mechazilla" gantry arms on Starbase's launch tower.

The sixth Starship test flight aims to replicate SpaceX's Flight 5 success, as well as test new systems, the company said in a mission overview.

"Objectives include the booster once again returning to the launch site for catch, reigniting a ship Raptor engine while in space, and testing a suite of heat shield experiments and maneuvering changes for ship reentry and descent over the Indian Ocean," SpaceX wrote. "Hardware upgrades for this flight add additional redundancy to booster propulsion systems, increase structural strength at key areas, and shorten the timeline to offload propellants from the booster following a successful catch. Mission designers also updated software controls and commit criteria for the booster’s launch and return."

SpaceX is designing its Starship and Super Heavy rockets to be a fully reusable launch system. NASA has picked Starship to land its Artemis 3 astronauts on the moon by 2026, with SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk stating that the company will try to launch a Starship to Mars as early as that year.

Related: Read our SpaceX Starship and Super Heavy guide for a detailed look

Can I watch the SpaceX's Starship Flight 6 launch?

Yes, you will be able to watch SpaceX's Starship Flight 6 test launch online. As with past Starship launches, there are several livestreams you'll be able to follow to see the launch, including on Space.com.

If you are able to drive to Starbase, you can try to watch the launch live in person, but do be aware that SpaceX doesn't have an official viewing site. However, the Starship pad is visible from several public beaches in the surrounding area.

At South Padre Island, for example, you can find good views and a clear line of sight of SpaceX's Starship pad from Isla Blanca Park and Cameron County Amphitheater. This spot is where I watched SpaceX's Starship Flight 1 from in April 2023. The shoreline of nearby Port Isabel can also be a good viewing zone for launches. Traffic can be heavy into both sites, so arriving early is a good idea. Don't forget to pack a folding chair, snacks, water, bug spray and other essentials.

How long is SpaceX's Starship Flight 6?

SpaceX's Flight 6 Starship test flight should last just over an hour, based on its current 65-minute flight plan. It is expected to fly on a similar trajectory to Flight 5, which launched a Starship vehicle on a path that entered space, coasted for a period, and then reentered over the Indian Ocean, west of Australia.

"The returning booster will slow down from supersonic speeds, resulting in audible sonic booms in the area around the landing zone ," SpaceX wrote in its mission overview. "Starship’s upper stage will fly the same suborbital trajectory as the previous flight test, with splashdown targeted in the Indian Ocean. An additional objective for this flight will be attempting an in-space burn using a single Raptor engine, further demonstrating the capabilities required to conduct a ship deorbit burn prior to orbital missions.."

While SpaceX hopes to recover the Super Heavy booster by catching it in giant metal "chopsticks" on the launch tower, the company could wave off the attempt if any factor is not perfect. If any criteria aren't met, SpaceX could instead opt to soft-land the rocket in the Gulf of Mexico, as it did on Flight 4.

"We accept no compromises when it comes to ensuring the safety of the public and our team, and the return will only take place if conditions are right," SpaceX wrote.

What if Starship can't launch on Monday?

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If SpaceX is unable to launch Starship Flight 6 on Nov. 18, the company may be able to try again 24 hours later on Nov. 19.

Officials with Cameron County, the region of South Texas that includes SpaceX's Starbase facility, have issued a road and beach closure alert for Boca Chica Beach for launch day on Nov. 18, with "alternative days" on Nov. 19 and Nov. 20. Those closures run from from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. local time for all three days, suggesting that SpaceX may have at least three opportunities to launch Flight 6 next week.

However, any backup launch attempt does depend on how far SpaceX reaches in its Starship and Super Heavy fueling process during a launch countdown. The company has said in the past that it takes several days to restock the more than 10 million pounds of super-cold liquid methane and liquid oxygen propellant needed for launch.

"As is the case with all developmental testing, the schedule is dynamic and likely to change, so be sure to check in here and stay tuned to our X account for updates," SpaceX wrote in a Flight 6 mission overview.

Editor's note: Visit Space.com on Nov. 18 for complete coverage of SpaceX's Starship Flight 5 launch test.