This topic discusses the forthcoming SpaceX eigth flight test of the integrated Starship (#34) and Super Heavy booster (#15), currently scheduled for launch no earlier than 2025-02-28 23:30 UTC with a 90 minute launch window. The planned flight, if successful, will launch the craft on a near-orbital trajectory, with the first stage booster performing a boost back burn and launch tower catch (with fallback to soft water landing in the Gulf of Mexico), and the upper stage Starship accelerating to a velocity slightly less than orbital speed, causing it to re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere over the Indian Ocean.
In addition to attempting to address Starship RUD, key differences from the last flight surround the booster.
The Super Heavy booster for this flight features upgraded avionics, including a more powerful flight computer, improved power and network distribution, and integrated smart batteries.