Maritime Notice Says On/After October 6

SpaceX has filed a preliminary Local Notice to Mariners (LNM) indicating that Starship’s 11th test flight could launch no earlier than October 6 at 6:15 pm CT/7:15 pm ET/4:15 pm PT. As always, dates and times in preliminary notices are subject to change based on regulatory approval, readiness, and weather.

The LNM was filed following a confirmation by SpaceX on social media that it had successfully completed a full-duration static fire test with Starship on September 22. If SpaceX follows its typical timeline, a Starship launch would be the next step for the vehicle.

SpaceX is expected to utilize the current Starship hardware for the 11th flight, and is planning to introduce its next-generation Starship V3 prototype later this year.

Elon Musk has said previously that Starship V3 will initiate a year of “heavy flight activity” in 2026. It will enable in-orbit refueling and perhaps the first-ever attempt at catching a returning upper stage.

Musk has also suggested that once Starship is fully operational it could be responsible for launching 95% or more of the Earth’s total payload to orbit starting in 2026.

SpaceX’s long-term goals of building a fully reusable rocket system will lower the cost of space access as well as support human exploration of the Moon and Mars. Those goals depend heavily on Starship, and each test flight has moved the program closer to those aspirations.

FMI:  www.spacex.com/