SpaceX Prepares for Upcoming Starship Launch with Super Heavy Booster Deployed

SpaceX has successfully moved its massive Super Heavy booster to the launch pad in preparation for the highly anticipated launch scheduled for Sunday, August 24. The deployment was announced on August 21 through a post on X, which included three images capturing the move.

The forthcoming launch will take place at SpaceX’s Starbase facility in South Texas and marks the tenth test flight of the Starship vehicle — a fully reusable rocket designed to transport humans to the Moon and Mars. The launch window opens at 7:30 p.m. EDT, and live coverage will be available.

Closeup of a large silver rocket being hoisted by the arms of its metallic launch tower — The Starship Flight 10 Super Heavy booster is positioned on the orbital launch mount at Starbase. (Image credit: SpaceX)

Starship, the most powerful rocket ever constructed, comprises two main components — the Super Heavy booster and the Starship upper stage, which stands 171 feet (52 meters) tall. Both components are made of stainless steel and are powered by SpaceX’s next-generation Raptor engines — 33 on the booster and 6 on the spacecraft.

Closeup of the engines of a large silver rocket — Close-up of the Raptor engines, each bearing the SpaceX logo and stylized wings near the nozzles.

Both the Super Heavy and Starship have cleared engine testing phases. SpaceX plans to move the Starship to the launch pad and stack it atop the Super Heavy using the tower’s “chopstick” arms. If the mission proceeds smoothly, Super Heavy will splash down in the Gulf of Mexico, while the Starship will land in the Indian Ocean off Western Australia.

This upcoming flight will be the fourth launch of Starship in 2025. Past missions have experienced early termination — with two failing less than ten minutes after liftoff and a third during reentry into Earth’s atmosphere.