SpaceX Plans Second 2026 Starship Test Flight from Texas on Thursday

SpaceX plans to launch its Starship rocket on Thursday from the company's Starbase facility in South Texas, marking the second test flight of the vehicle in 2026, Usa Today reported. The launch window opens from 6:45 to 8:15 p.m. ET.

The stream will begin on SpaceX's website about 30 minutes before liftoff, with updates also posted on the social media site X. SpaceX said the schedule remains dynamic and subject to change. The mission uses the Version 3 prototype, which stands 407 feet tall when stacked and consists of a 236-foot Super Heavy booster and 171-foot upper stage.

This iteration debuted during the May flight and represents the largest and most powerful rocket SpaceX has flown. SpaceX aims to repeat objectives from the May test. The booster will be pushed to higher performance before landing in the Gulf of Mexico, renamed the Gulf of America under executive order.

The upper stage will fly halfway around the world to a planned landing in the Indian Ocean. In a new step, the rocket will carry 20 larger Starlink satellites for deployment into suborbital space. The satellites will extend solar arrays and antennas, attempt contact with the existing constellation, and then reenter the atmosphere after roughly 20 minutes.

Starship has undergone testing since April 2023 as a fully reusable system intended to carry large payloads. Usa Today reported that NASA relies on a lunar lander version of the vehicle for crewed Artemis missions, while SpaceX has announced plans for a human expedition to Mars orbit. Eric Lagatta is the Space Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network.