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SpaceX Starship's 10th test flight is imminent and the launch window for it starts on Sunday (24 August) evening.
It will be live streamed on a number of different official feeds and it's the first Starship test flight since the pretty disastrous ninth at the end of May.
During the coasting phase of that flight, it basically broke into loads of pieces over the Indian Ocean. There were no injuries or ground damage.
Investigations from that flight have been taken into account with hardware and operational changes made to increase reliability and ensure the same thing doesn't happen again.
The last three test flights have all ended prematurely with researchers unable to complete their goals though.
Here's everything you need to know about Elon Musk's SpaceX Starship Flight 10, the biggest rocket on Earth.
SpaceX Starship Flight 6 taking off from Starbase near Boca Chica, Texas / Getty Images
What time does SpaceX Starship Flight 10 launch?
SpaceX Starship Flight 10 is scheduled to start any time from 7.30pm ET / 6.30pm CT / 4.30pm PT (12.30am BST on 25 August). That's when the launch window opens and it could be any time within 60 minutes from that time.
If it cannot launch due to technical issues or weather concerns, there are at least two backup days available on August 25 and 26.
As is the case with all developmental testing, the schedule is dynamic and subject to change so check official feeds for any updates.
It will take place from SpaceX's Starbase facility near Boca Chica Beach in South Texas.
Watch live! SpaceX to launch Starship on 10th flight test www.youtube.com
How can I watch SpaceX Starship Flight 10 launch?
A live stream of the flight test will start at 7pm ET / 6pm CT / 4pm PT (12am BST on 25 August), which is around 30 minutes before liftoff and it can be watched at the YouTube link above, on X @SpaceX or on the SpaceX website.
For those wanting to watch a longer livestream, NASASpaceflight's YouTube channel starts at 4.30pm ET / 3.30pm CT / 11.30am PT / 7.30pm BST and has live commentary during the prelaunch preparation phase.
How long with SpaceX Starship Flight 10 launch last for?
After Starship takes off, if all goes to plan, it will be in the air for more than an hour before splash landing in the Indian Ocean.
The sequence to launch it starts around 75 minutes before liftoff - again if everything goes to plan.
Why is SpaceX Starship Flight 10 happening?
According to SpaceX's website: "Flight tests continue to provide valuable learnings to inform the design of the next generation Starship and Super Heavy vehicles.
"With production ramping up inside Starfactory at Starbase alongside new launch and test infrastructure actively being built in Texas and Florida, Starship is poised to continue iterating towards a rapidly and fully reusable launch system."
The plan is to eventually use the rocket to send humans to Mars.
For the full technical details of what experts will be looking at during the flight, check out SpaceX's website here.
What happened with SpaceX Starship Flight 9?
Everything was going to plan until around 30 minutes after liftoff.
A fuel leak started to happen which cause the aircraft to basically cause instability that kept getting worse and worse, so much so that it eventually disintegrated into pieces over the Indian Ocean.
None of the last three test flights which have all taken place this year have been fully completed.
Elsewhere from indy100:
- SpaceX: The biggest explosions to date as uncrewed rocket blows up while stationary
- Elon Musk’s Starbase becomes an official city in Texas: All you need to know
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