SpaceX's 12th Starship flight: How to watch the test live

SpaceX will launch its 12th Starship test flight on Thursday evening, marking the first flight since October 2025. The company spent the past seven months rebuilding key components of the rocket and its launch site at Starbase, a private facility in South Texas. Engineers redesigned the engines, overhauled the spacecraft’s heat shield, and constructed a new launchpad to support the mission. Flight 12 will feature the latest version of Starship and its Super Heavy booster, standing 400 feet tall—the largest and most powerful rocket system ever built. The test carries significant stakes for both SpaceX and NASA, as Starship is slated to land astronauts on the moon later this decade as part of the Artemis program. SpaceX founder Elon Musk has also stated the vehicle will eventually transport people and cargo to Mars. According to Musk, SpaceX’s production pipeline is fully operational, with plans to complete around 10 more Starship ships and half that number of boosters this year. Despite the high risks, Musk noted that failures would not cause major setbacks unless the launch stand is destroyed. The company has emphasized reliability as a priority, aiming to prove Starship can launch, survive atmospheric re-entry, and be reused without lengthy repairs. The launch will be streamed live on SpaceX’s website and YouTube channel, with coverage expected to begin as early as 4:45 p.m. CT on the scheduled date. Viewers can follow updates in real time as the rocket undergoes critical testing phases.