SpaceX’s ninth Starship flight test is scheduled for May 27, 2025, at 6:30 p.m. CT

SpaceX’s ninth Starship flight test is planned for May 27, 2025, at 6:30 p.m. CT. A live webcast starts 30 minutes prior on SpaceX’s website, X (@SpaceX), or the X TV app. Schedule may shift, so follow SpaceX’s X account for updates.

After investigating the eighth test’s failure, SpaceX made hardware upgrades for better reliability. This test uses a reused Super Heavy booster from the seventh flight, with 29 of its 33 Raptor engines already flight-tested.

The booster was inspected and repaired, replacing parts like heat shields, to prepare for reuse. It will test a controlled flip after stage separation, a high-angle descent to save fuel, and a landing with one engine off, ending in a hard splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico.

The Starship upper stage will deploy eight Starlink simulators, which will burn up on reentry, and test a Raptor engine relight in space. Reentry tests include removing some tiles, trying new metal tiles with cooling, and checking catch fittings.

The tile edges were smoothed to fix hot spots from the sixth test, and the reentry will stress the vehicle’s flaps.

If you want real-time updates, I can check X or the web. Let me know!