SpaceX has completed a major ground test of its Starship rocket as the company prepares for the vehicle’s next test flight from South Texas. The planned mission would be the 15th flight of Starship and the fourth time the rocket has launched in 2026.
The company conducted a static-fire test on Oct. 25 at its Starbase facility in Cameron County, Texas, roughly 180 miles south of Corpus Christi. During the test, the rocket’s lower section remained secured to a test stand while its engines fired, allowing ground teams to examine the vehicle’s systems without sending it into the air.
All 33 Raptor engines on the booster fired during the procedure. Static-fire tests are conducted before launch to produce thrust while the rocket stays anchored, giving engineers an opportunity to check that the propulsion system and related ground operations are functioning as intended.
A new recovery attempt
The upcoming flight is expected to include a recovery attempt for both major sections of Starship. SpaceX plans to bring the upper stage back to the launch site after it travels through space instead of allowing it to fall into the ocean. The company also plans to recover the booster, adding another test of its goal of making the rocket fully reusable.
Starship is more than 400 feet tall and consists of a large lower booster and an upper spacecraft stage. The booster used in the static-fire test was tested separately from the upper stage, which was not attached during the engine firing. The upper vehicle is expected to undergo its own checkouts as preparations continue.
- The Oct. 25 test fired all 33 booster engines while the vehicle was held on the ground.
- The next flight would be Starship’s fourth launch of 2026 and its 15th test flight overall.
- SpaceX plans to attempt recoveries of both the booster and upper stage.
From orbital milestone to Artemis hardware
Starship’s previous test flight reached orbit and deployed Starlink satellites, marking a significant milestone for the program. The company is now preparing to build on that result with a mission that emphasizes controlled returns of the rocket’s two sections.
SpaceX is developing Starship for NASA’s Artemis moon program as well as future missions to Mars. The rocket’s intended reusability is central to that development effort, although the recovery plans remain test objectives rather than an established operational capability.
The preparations are taking place at SpaceX’s Starbase headquarters in southern Texas. After the booster’s static-fire test, teams are continuing work on the upper stage and other launch preparations for the next Starship test flight.
