Watch SpaceX's Starship integrated flight test

Monday, SpaceX is set to conduct its first fully integrated launch of the company’s Starship rocket. A vehicle we’ve seen being developed out in the open for over four years now. Here is how to catch SpaceX’s historic moment.

How to watch Starship’s launch

SpaceX will provide a proper livestream just like they do for its Falcon 9 launches. The livestream will begin 45 minutes before liftoff. The company’s window for such will open at 7 a.m. CT and last for 150 minutes. That’s 9:30 a.m. CT for those not wanting to do the math yourself.

We expect this to be a pretty big affaire for SpaceX, with legendary SpaceXer (and industry worker) John Inspruker starting work on livestream rehearsals the other week. Inspruker oversaw the development of the Falcon 9 and currently holds the position of Principle Integration Engineer at SpaceX. Before stepping aside a few years ago, he was a long-time host of the company’s livestreams. However, he has reprised his role as host of Starship webcasts. Making them extra special for long-time SpaceX fans.

This larger fan fair will differ from previous SpaceX livestreams as they only started minutes before liftoff (or ignition) and just featured a countdown clock and video of the pad. We don’t know how long the stream will last, most likely ending shortly after the completion of the flight. Whether that’s a splashdown off the coast of Hawaii or sooner with more fire, we will have to wait and see.

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You can catch the stream on SpaceX’s YouTube channel and I would expect it to take place on the company’s social media pages as well.

Watching Starship’s launch in person

Well, if you are already down there or currently on your way down to Starbase to watch history, first off, I am feeling a bit a FOMO over not attending myself but enjoying not stressing over the adventure. So a warning, it is going to be packed. I made the trek for Starship’s SN8 test flight, the first Starship low-altitude flight, and even for that, it was crazy on launch day. Between locals and out-of-town visitors like myself all wanting to see it happen. So keep that in mind no matter where you go, get there early and expect delays.

Really the only place you will be able to get great views of the launch will be north of Starbase on South Padre Island and Port Isabel. At the southernmost point of South Padre is Isla Blanca Park, the best and the only place for clear views of Starship’s launch pad. It will fill up quickly, so be prepared to wake up very early tomorrow morning to get in.

If you are looking to check out SpaceX’s site if Starship’s launch scrubs, Everyday Astronaut has a great video detailing what to do and not do around Starbase. (Also in article form)

Expect delays

SpaceX only has two and a half hours tomorrow to launch. That is a tight timeline for SpaceX to make with a brand-new rocket. So if you are in Texas to watch Starship’s launch, be prepared for this to take several attempts for everything to go right just for liftoff. Which means several days, maybe even the entire week.

Musk spoke in a Twitter Space before Monday’s launch attempt to lower expectations for the launch. “Many things can go wrong,” Musk said, and the consensus for the flight’s success was “Don’t blow up the pad.”