SpaceX is gearing up for a test flight that closely resembles its previous Starship test flight in October, with some new key objectives in mind. The company is focusing on several thermal protection experiments and operational changes to determine how the Starship spacecraft will be flown, landed, and re-flown. This includes testing new secondary thermal protection materials to prevent disintegration during reentry, where temperatures can reach as high as 2,600 degrees Fahrenheit.
One notable change for this flight is the removal of heat shield tiles on either side of the ship to study locations for catch-enabling hardware on future vehicles. Additionally, the flight path will be intentionally more stressful to push the limits of the vehicle's flaps in maintaining control during reentry.
SpaceX has also shifted the launch window to the afternoon for this test flight, a departure from previous early morning launches. This adjustment will allow the spacecraft to reenter over the Indian Ocean in daylight, providing better conditions for visual observations.
