SpaceX will launch its Starship megarocket this week

SpaceX is set to launch its Starship megarocket for the eighth time on Friday, February 28.

The announcement came from SpaceX CEO, Elon Musk, who shared a brief message on X stating simply: “Starship Flight 8 flies Friday.”

Starship Flight 8 flies Friday pic.twitter.com/CmOdg13e6K

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 24, 2025

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SpaceX has not yet confirmed the specific launch time for the flight, but like the previous seven test missions, the 120-meter-tall rocket will take off from the company’s facility near Boca Chica, Texas.

This test flight follows the successful landing of the first-stage Super Heavy booster on January 16, where SpaceX used giant mechanical arms attached to the launch tower to “catch” the booster for the second time.

The previous mission aimed to perform a controlled landing of the upper-stage Starship spacecraft in the Indian Ocean, a goal that had been achieved in previous missions. However, the vehicle encountered an anomaly and burned up over the Caribbean.

For the eighth flight, SpaceX is aiming for controlled landings for both the Super Heavy booster and the Starship spacecraft.

NASA plans to utilize the Starship for crew and cargo missions to the moon and Mars. The immediate objective is to land the first woman and first person of color on the lunar surface in the Artemis III mission, scheduled for 2027. Musk has expressed interest in prioritizing a crewed mission to Mars, dismissing NASA’s moon-focused Artemis program as a distraction.

With Musk’s growing influence in President Trump’s administration, there is speculation that he may be advocating for a focus on Mars exploration over lunar missions. During Trump’s recent address, he emphasized Mars without mentioning the moon, leading to further speculation about Musk’s involvement.