SpaceX 1st Starship to be launched on 20 April: Check timing and where to watch

SpaceX intends to use this launch system as a completely reusable platform for future missions to Mars and the Moon.

NASA has already selected Starship as the lunar lander for the Artemis 3 mission scheduled for 2025, which is set to be the first crewed moon landing since 1972. However, before this can happen, SpaceX needs to perfect the design, and this inaugural flight test is a crucial step towards achieving that goal.

Timing of the Starship launch:

As per the current schedule, the first combined launch of Starship spacecraft and Super Heavy booster is set to occur on Monday at 9:28 AM Eastern Daylight Time (1328 GMT), taking off from SpaceX’s Starbase facility in Boca Chica, Texas. The launch time will correspond to 8:28 AM local time at the launch site.

The mission plan of SpaceX informs that the mission has a 62-minute launch window.

Where to watch:

The launch of the Starship spacecraft and Super Heavy booster will be telecasted live on the YouTube NASASpaceflight channel and users can watch the telecast live on the video-streaming platform. Users can also watch the lauch live in the video embeded below.

According to Space.com, during SpaceX’s initial Starship test flight, the duration of the launch to the time of landing in the Pacific Ocean is expected to take approximately 90 minutes. However, it’s important to note that the spacecraft will not attain an orbit during this mission. Instead, the Starship will ascend to an elevation of approximately 146 miles (234 kilometers), circle around most of the planet Earth, and eventually come down to land in the Pacific Ocean. 

Simultaneously, the Super Heavy booster will also return to Earth and touch down in the Gulf of Mexico