SpaceX Starship Launch: When To See Tuesday’s High-Stakes Flight Test

InnovationScienceSpaceX Starship Launch: When To See Tuesday’s High-Stakes Flight TestByJamie Carter,Senior Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. An award-winning reporter writing about stargazing and the night sky.Follow AuthorMay 18, 2026, 02:41am EDTSpaceX's mega rocket Starship lifts off for a test flight from Starbase in Boca Chica, Texas, Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reservedSpaceX is preparing for the next major test of its Starship launch system, with liftoff targeted for Tuesday evening from the company’s Starbase facility in South Texas. The mission, known as Starship Flight 12, is scheduled to launch during a window opening at 6:30 p.m. EDT on Tuesday, May 19. The flight will mark the first launch of heavily upgraded versions of both the Starship upper stage and the Super Heavy booster, as pressure builds on SpaceX to prove out its hardware for use in NASA’s Artemis program. When Will Space Starship Launch?The launch window opens at 6:30 p.m. EDT (local time 5:30 p.m. CDT) on Tuesday, May 19, from SpaceX’s newly upgraded launch pad at Starbase. However, as with all developmental missions, launch timing remains subject to technical checks and weather conditions, meaning delays are possible. The launch will be streamed live on SpaceX.com, YouTube and X (Twitter) from about 30 minutes before the launch. MORE FOR YOUFirst Test For Next-Generation Starship HardwareTuesday’s mission will debut redesigned versions of both components of the launch vehicle — the Starship upper stage and the Super Heavy booster. The latter will fly with the latest evolution of the Raptor engine, with all 33 engines expected to ignite during ascent.Unlike some recent test flights for Starship, Tuesday’s flight will not include an attempt to return the Super Heavy booster to the launch tower using the massive mechanical arms commonly referred to as “chopsticks.” Instead, Spa...