SpaceX Starship Flight 9 Launch Today: Exact Time, Live Stream, and Must-See Mission Details

Starship Flight 9’s launch ignites today in South Texas, marking the ninth full-stack test of SpaceX’s colossal Starship–Super Heavy system. Liftoff is targeted for 6:30 p.m. CT (7:30 p.m. ET) from Launch Complex A at Starbase near Boca Chica Beach, Texas, at the opening of a 60-minute launch window. Designed for eventual trips to the Moon and Mars, Starship stands 397 feet tall and packs more than 16 million pounds of thrust at liftoff, making it the most powerful rocket ever flown. Today’s flight aims to refine re-entry control of both stages, test a propellant transfer demonstration in orbit, and attempt soft splashdowns of the Super Heavy booster in the Gulf of Mexico and the upper stage in the Pacific. How to watch the Starship Flight 9 launch live • SpaceX will host a high-definition webcast on X (formerly Twitter) and YouTube starting about 30 minutes before liftoff, featuring multiple onboard and ground cameras for real-time telemetry. • NASA TV and third-party streams such as Everyday Astronaut will mirror the broadcast, providing expert commentary and on-screen flight milestones. Key mission objectives 1. Achieve a stable earth-orbit insertion, coast, and controlled de-orbit burn. 2. Demonstrate upper-stage flip and belly-flop maneuver for a Pacific splashdown near Hawaii. 3. Collect thermal-protection and Raptor engine performance data to close certification gaps for the upcoming Flight 10, scheduled later this year. What’s new since Flight 8 • Upgraded Raptor 3 engines with extended-nozzle bells boost efficiency by roughly 8 % in vacuum. • Reinforced heat-shield tiles now feature interlocking pins to prevent shedding, a flaw that plagued Flight 8’s breakup during re-entry. • FAA and NOAA granted clearance after SpaceX met stricter debris-mitigation measures, including an expanded marine exclusion zone and improved water-deluge system to reduce launch-pad acoustic loads. Why this launch matters Successful completion of Flight 9’s objectives will move SpaceX closer to operational status for Artemis lunar lander missions and commercial point-to-point cargo flights. It will also validate propellant transfer tech vital for on-orbit refueling—an indispensable step toward crewed Mars expeditions. Travel and local impacts The Cameron County Sheriff’s Office has closed public beach access and Highway 4 leading to Starbase until after the launch window. The FAA’s Temporary Flight Restriction extends to 30 nautical miles, so general aviation pilots are advised to avoid the area. Looking ahead Should Flight 9 achieve nominal splashdowns, SpaceX plans to refurbish Super Heavy Booster 14 and Ship 31 for a rapid turnaround, targeting Flight 10 before the end of summer. Elon Musk has reiterated his goal of reaching a weekly Starship launch cadence by 2027, a pace he deems essential for building a self-sustaining city on Mars. Stay tuned for live updates and post-flight analysis as Starship Flight 9 attempts to push humanity one step closer to multi-planetary life.