SpaceX founder Elon Musk announced via social media that the company is targeting a launch for the 10th test flight of the Starship megarocket approximately three weeks from that date, aligning with an anticipated launch window opening on August 4, 2025. This timeline was supported by Federal Communications Commission (FCC) filings submitted on July 4, 2025, which outline the planned orbital test from SpaceX’s Starbase facility in Texas. The Starship system, comprising the Super Heavy booster and the Starship spacecraft, stands at 400 feet tall and is designed to be fully reusable, with a payload capacity exceeding 100 metric tons. The upcoming flight follows the ninth test on May 27, 2025, where the spacecraft reached its scheduled engine cutoff but experienced an uncontrolled re-entry due to leaks affecting main tank pressure. The Super Heavy booster, reused from the seventh flight in January 2025, successfully splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico during the ninth test, marking progress in reusability. For Flight 10, SpaceX is preparing a new Starship upper stage, Ship 37, which will undergo a static fire test on the orbital launch mount, a shift from previous tests due to damage at the Massey test site from an explosion involving Ship 36 on June 18, 2025. That incident, caused by a pressurized nitrogen tank failure, destroyed the vehicle during pre-launch preparations but resulted in no injuries, with the site remaining clear of personnel. The company is also advancing construction at Starbase, including a massive transfer tube for the first Block 3 Super Heavy booster, indicating ongoing development of the next-generation design. Flight 10 aims to build on previous successes, including the tower catch of Booster 14 during Flight 7 on January 2025, and will focus on refining orbital capabilities and engine performance. SpaceX continues to coordinate with regulatory agencies, with the FAA having approved up to 25 annual launches following environmental reviews. The mission supports long-term goals, including NASA’s Artemis program for lunar landings and potential Mars missions, with Musk estimating a 50% chance of launching to Mars by late 2026.
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