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The launch date for SpaceX's Starship Flight 7 has surfaced in a flight advisory for the Americas and the Caribbean region. It suggests that the test will occur on January 10th, with backup launch dates stretching from January 11th to the 16th. The timeline in the advisory matches a letter sent by NASA to the FAA, which requested that the aviation regulator allow it to fly special flights in Texas to fine-tune instruments to monitor Starship Flight 7, which was planned for the 11th.
This time around, SpaceX doesn't have to wait for license approval from the FAA, and if the latest launch date is reached, then the firm should start stacking the Starship upper-stage spacecraft on the Super Heavy booster soon.
SpaceX Starship Flight 7 Could Fly Early Morning On January 10th Texas Time
Ahead of Starship Flight 7, SpaceX has already tested the 232-foot-tall Starship Super Heavy booster and the upper-stage Starship spacecraft multiple times. These tests have come in the form of static fires for both rockets, with the latest test being a single engine Raptor vacuum firing as part of a rehearsal for an in-space engine ignition.
Starship Flight 7 will fly a new upper-stage spacecraft, and it will also see SpaceX try to catch the Super Heavy with the launch tower for the third time. The firm successfully caught the rocket on its first attempt in Flight 5, but it had to forgo the tower catch on Flight 6 due to damage to the launch tower.
While SpaceX has secured the FAA's launch license for Starship Flight 7, the firm has not revealed any details about a tentative launch timeline. However, a flight advisory posted today in the CADENA (CANSO ATFM Data Exchange Network for the Americas) system hints that the launch could occur in January's second week.
The air traffic advisory that has popped up today mentions several dates and times for Starship Flight 7. It reads as follows:
"Primary Launch Day 10 Jan 2200Z-2337Z Backup Launch Day (1) 11 Jan 1300Z-1437Z Backup Launch Day (2) 12 Jan 2200Z-2337Z Backup Launch Day (3) 13 Jan 2200Z-2337Z Backup Launch Day (4) 14 Jan 2200Z-2337Z Backup Launch Day (5) 15 Jan 2200Z-2337Z Backup Launch Day (6) 16 Jan 2200Z-2337Z"
The primary launch date of January 10th aligns with NASA's request to the FAA to let it calibrate its instruments in US airspace before flying them out to Australia to image the upper stage Starship during its atmospheric reentry. As was the case with Flight 6, the upper-stage will also be the star of the show in Starship Flight 7. SpaceX plans to test new heat shield tiles, larger tanks, and an upgraded forward (flap) design on the ship, along with a multitude of other changes.
A successful Flight 7, including a soft splashdown of the ship and an in-space Raptor re-ignition, can unlock additional milestones for the Starship program. These include a potential tower catch for the ship and an orbital test flight contingent on the FAA's approval. 2025 will be an important year for SpaceX's Starship test campaign as it might see the firm test in-space propellant transfer as well for a key technology demonstration for NASA's Artemis program and the Human Landing System (HLS).
