Overview
- SpaceX confirmed that the Super Heavy booster from January's Flight 7 will be reused for the first time on Starship Flight 9.
- A static fire test of the booster was conducted on April 3, 2025, at the Starbase site in Texas, verifying its readiness for reuse.
- The upcoming flight will focus on addressing recurring upper-stage issues and aim to achieve a soft landing in the Indian Ocean.
- The booster features 29 flight-proven engines out of its 33 total, marking a significant step toward SpaceX's 'zero-touch reflight' vision.
- The Starship program plays a critical role in NASA's Artemis III mission, which plans to land astronauts on the Moon by 2027.