STARSHIP IFT-7 TEST FLIGHT, Jan 16, 2025, Boca Chica, TX, 5:00 pm ET

Update, January 15: The launch has been delayed a day due to weather.  Same time on January 16.

Due to weather, we’re now targeting Thursday, January 16 for Starship’s seventh flight test. The 60-minute launch window opens at 4 p.m. CT. → https://t.co/QNCSPTewLA pic.twitter.com/ZV08pXeqbf

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) January 15, 2025

Update, January 14:  SpaceX confirms they will try tomorrow, January 15, at 4:00 pm Central (5:00 pm Eastern), the opening of a 60 minute launch window.  Their webcast will begin 35 minutes before launch.

Watch Starship’s seventh flight test → https://t.co/QNCSPTewLA https://t.co/wWJtyFMrfI

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) January 14, 2025

Update, January 12:  SpaceX has delayed the launch to January 15. No explanation was provided.

Now targeting Wednesday, January 15 for the seventh flight test of Starship → https://t.co/QNCSPTdYW2 pic.twitter.com/xz8eNkfV0T

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) January 12, 2025

Update, January 8:  SpaceX says they are targeting January 13, 2025 for the IFT-7 mission. The launch window opens at 4:00 pm Central Time (5:00 pm Eastern).  They will provide a live webcast starting 35 minutes in advance.

The seventh flight test of Starship is preparing to launch as soon as Monday, January 13. Teams at Starbase are keeping an eye on weather conditions for preflight operations → https://t.co/QNCSPTdYW2 pic.twitter.com/UITKY0C2MI

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) January 8, 2025

Update, January 7: The FAA’s operations website posted a date of January 11 from 1300Z-1438Z and a backup the next day.

However, Musk reportedly then said the launch has slipped until “sometime next week” according to a tweet from Robin @xdNiBor, who earlier got the reply from Musk that they were targeting the 10th.

Flight 7 *might* not fly on January 11. Not sure how to interpret this but Elon is talking about “3 to 4 days” of delays and “sometime next week” pic.twitter.com/TTbyNrSGIo

— Robin (@xdNiBoR) January 7, 2025

SpaceX itself has not announced a launch date.  We will keep the 10th on this Calendar until SpaceX does officially announce a date.

Original Entry: SpaceX is getting ready for Starship’s seventh Integrated Test Flight — IFT-7 — from its Starbase facility in Boca Chica, TX.

The company has not officially announced a launch date/time, and as of January 4, 2025, the FAA’s operations advisory website does not show one either, but on December 27, 2024 NASASpaceflight.com (not affiliated with NASA) posted an Air Traffic Data Exchange Network for the Caribbean region announcement indicating it will be January 10, 2025 between 4:00-5:37 pm local time (5:00-6:3o pm Eastern).

An Air Traffic Data Exchange Network for the Caribbean region has published an advisory indicating Starship Flight 7’s launch date is Jan 10th in a window from 4 pm – 5:37 pm local. We’ll need to see it on FAA notices to firm it up more. pic.twitter.com/A7dGx5VNWD

— NSF – NASASpaceflight.com (@NASASpaceflight) December 27, 2024

On December 30, Elon Musk confirmed they are targeting the 10th in a reply on X:

SpaceX has provided details on what this test will seek to accomplish.

The FAA issued a launch license for IFT-7 and future missions using the same flight profile on December 17, 2024.

Space Calendar also lists the launch time as 12:00-13:37 Hawaii Standard Time (HST), which is 5:00-6:37 pm Eastern.

December 17

FAA Statement on License Modification for SpaceX

Today, the FAA issued a license modification authorizing SpaceX to launch multiple missions of the Starship/Super Heavy vehicle on the Flight 7 mission profile and vehicle configuration. The FAA determined SpaceX met all safety, environmental and other licensing requirements for the suborbital test flight.

“The FAA continues to increase efficiencies in our licensing determination activities to meet the needs of the commercial space transportation industry,” said the Associate Administrator for Commercial Space Transportation Kelvin B. Coleman. “This license modification that we are issuing is well ahead of the Starship Flight 7 launch date and is another example of the FAA’s commitment to enable safe space transportation.”

The Flight 7 mission profile involves launch of the combined Starship/Super Heavy vehicle from Boca Chica, Texas, a return to the launch site of the Super Heavy booster rocket for a catch attempt by the launch tower, and a water landing of the Starship vehicle in the Indian Ocean west of Australia. Please contact SpaceX for information about its planned launch date.

The SpaceX Starship program operates under an FAA-issued Part 450 launch license.

ADDITIONAL LICENSE INFORMATION

Test Induced Damage Exceptions

The Starship/Super Heavy Flight 7 license authorization includes Test Induced Damage Exceptions. SpaceX identified test objectives associated with certain flight events and system components of the Starship vehicle. The FAA evaluated each exception as part of flight safety and flight hazard analyses and confirmed that all public safety requirements have been met.

The five approved test induced damage exceptions include: failure of the thermal shield during high-heating; failure of the flap system during high dynamic pressure; failure of the Raptor engine system during the landing Starship burn; failure of the Raptor engine system during in-space demonstration burn; and failure of Super Heavy systems during post-booster catch vehicle safing.

If one of these scenarios occurs, a mishap investigation will not be required provided there was no serious injury or fatality, no damage to unrelated property and no debris outside designated hazard areas.

Controlled / Uncontrolled Starship Vehicle Entry

The Starship/Super Heavy Flight 7 license authorization also includes the option for SpaceX to conduct a controlled or uncontrolled entry of the Starship vehicle. SpaceX must communicate a decision to conduct an uncontrolled entry to the FAA prior to launch. If SpaceX chooses an uncontrolled entry the loss of the Starship vehicle will be considered a planned event.

A mishap investigation will not be required for an uncontrolled entry provided there was no serious injury or fatality, no damage to unrelated property, and no debris outside designated hazard areas.