SpaceX may perform a wet dress rehearsal of its Starship launch system today

Enlarge / A fully stacked Starship launch system is seen on January 9, 2023. (credit: SpaceX)

After months of preparation, SpaceX is now approaching the critical test phase of its launch campaign for the massive Starship vehicle.

The company has evacuated nearby residents from the launch site in South Texas, near Boca Chica Beach, during the hours of 8 am CT (14:00 UTC) to 8 pm CT on Monday. If preparatory activities go well, the company will load both the Starship upper stage and Super Heavy booster with cryogenic methane and oxygen later today. The countdown will proceed toward liftoff but end just before the transfer of internal power to the launch vehicle.

There will be no engine ignition today. However, the upper stage of this vehicle, Ship 24, previously underwent a successful static fire test of its six Raptor rocket engines on September 8, 2022. The first stage, Booster 7, has seen as many as 14 of its 33 Raptor engines test fired during activity in November.