SpaceX is planning to launch its Starship Flight 8 later this afternoon from its launch site in South Texas. The flight will mostly be a rehash of Flight 7, focusing on testing the changes to Starship Block 2, new heat shield modifications, and deploying its first dummy satellites into space.
SpaceX X Livestream: https://x.com/i/broadcasts/1lPKqMQbAWLKb
Important Launch Window
Launch Window Open: 5:30 P.M. CT
Launch Window Closes: 6:30 P.M. CT
Current Liftoff Time: 5:30 P.M. CT
Weather: GO
Propellent Loading: Complete
Updates
All times CST
March 6 (2nd Attempt)
5:40 PM: SpaceX has cut the live views from the ship. Host confirms loss of contact.
5:39 PM: Attitude control and engines have shutdown on the ship.
5:38 PM: Fun fact: 11 out of the 13 engines successfully ignited for boost back burn and 12 of the same 13 engines successfully ignited for the landing burn. Starship is one of the rockets that can figure out engine issues mid-flight.
5:37 PM: Landing burn started. Catch successful.
5:35 PM: T+5 minutes into flight, all still continuing to plan. Hot-staging ring has detached from the booster.
5:34 PM: Booster down to three engines. Still good for catch attempt. Booster engines shutdown.
5:33 PM: BECO. Hot staging complete. Booster is returning to the launch pad.
5:32 PM: GO for booster catch.
5:31 PM: T+1 minute into flight. Everything looks normal so far. MAX-Q.
5:30 PM: Count continues. Flight conductor is GO for launch. LIFTOFF.
5:29 PM: HOLD. At T-40 seconds, teams are checking temperatures.
5:27 PM: Hosts share that teams are tracking no issues. If there are any, SpaceX can hold at T-40 seconds for several minutes.
5:25 PM: T-5 minutes from launch and all signs are green for launch.
5:22 PM: Propellant loading is well underway and should complete in about 4 minutes.
4:24 PM: SpaceX shared it is GO for propellent loading.
SpaceX has set for Starship Flight 8’s second launch attempt to be March 6 at 5:30 P.M. CT.
March 3 (1st Attempt)
5:52 PM: SCRUB.
5:51 PM: Booster triggered multiple holds once the count started.
5:51 PM: HOLD. No reason given, back to T-40 seconds.
5:50 PM: HOLD CLEARED. Count continues.
5:49 PM: Still holding, sounds like commentators are attempting to set expectations of a hold. SpaceX cannot hold here for the entire window, so a decision has to be made in the next few minutes.
5:45 PM: Previous issue has been cleared, however, and new issue has showed up on Ship 34.
5:44 PM: HOLD. Expected as they continue to troubleshoot an issue before launch.
5:43 PM: More likely we’ll be holding at T-40 seconds. SpaceX can hold there for “several minutes” while they troubleshoot.
5:40 PM: Both Ship 34 and Booster 15 and 90% or more on propellent. That issue may or may not be cleared before T-40 seconds now. We’ll have to wait and see.
5:36 PM: SpaceX has conducted a “wiggle” test on both Ship 34’s flaps and the catch tower’s arms.
5:35 PM: T-10 minutes, Ship 34 is nearly complete in propellent. Booster 15 is nearing 80% full. Weather is 65% GO for launch, but low visibility. The potential hold is expected to be cleared by the T-2 minute mark.
5:32 PM: No changes to Starship’s launch cadence. SpaceX however, has been providing an update on its Starlink and further Starship developments. SpaceX hopes to launch Starship from Florida later this year.
5:21 PM: Sounds like the team will be holding to troubleshoot a problem. Unless cleared, the clock will hold at T-0:40 once propellent loading is complete.
5:15 PM: T-30 Minutes before launch, nothing shared yet if systems are good for launch but no news is good news. Propellent loading before about five minutes ago.
About the launch
SpaceX’s Starship Flight 8 is the second launch attempt of Starship’s Block 2 vehicle. Flight 8 will feature many of the same objectives as Flight 7, including: deploying dummy Starlink satellites, testing new heat shield tiles during reentry, and reentry tests for future Starship tower catches.
Flight 8 will also be a key launch to verify any changes made post-Starship Flight 7’s failed launch attempt. During the ascent of Flight 7, Ship 33 saw a propellant leak above the engine compartment in what SpaceX calls the “attic.” This led to an uncontrolled fire breaking out, damaging propellant lines to the Ship’s six Raptor engines. The result was the termination of the flight and breakup of the vehicle over the Caribbean.
If Flight 8 is successful, there is a good chance that Flight 9 can move to attempt the first-ever catch of a Starship upper stage. Flight 8’s Ship 34 has structural catch points compared to Flight 7’s non-structural points that were planned to test its aerodynamic properties.
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