The earliest data for SpaceX's Starship Flight 9 has now slipped to May 20th, according to a fresh Coast Guard notice. Starship Flight 9 is perhaps the most anticipated flight of the program so far, as SpaceX's new second-generation upper-stage rocket has proved to be troublesome and stopped the progress of the test program. The new upper stage first flew on Starship Flight 7 in January and then on Flight 8 in March. These tests saw the rocket explode soon after separating from the Super Heavy booster. After the second flight, SpaceX slowed its progress and resumed testing the ship late last month, and now, a second notice to mariners indicates that the earliest possible date for Flight 9 is May 20th.
SpaceX's Starship Flight 9 Gears Up To Test Troublesome Second Stage Ship Once Again
Earlier in the week, the Coast Guard had sent out a notice to mariners that indicated that Starship Flight 9 could liftoff between May 13th and May 23rd. At the time, SpaceX had just conducted a static fire test of the upper stage ship and transported the rocket back to its production facilities. The notice indicated that any potential anomalies discovered during testing could be temporary and easily overcome.
Now, a fresh notice indicates that the window for Starship Flight 9 opens from May 20th and lasts until May 29th. Footage from local media shows that the upper stage ship is currently at SpaceX's production facilities and is expected to move to the firm's ground testing site soon. The potential move indicates that SpaceX might static fire the rocket again to verify its performance before attempting another launch.
The latest upper-stage Starship tests saw SpaceX first test a single Raptor vacuum engine for an in-space burn and then light up several engines for another static fire. While the firm confirmed the first test, it has yet to share details about the second run. The upper stage ship is currently at SpaceX's rocket production facilities in Texas, and notices from local officials indicate that SpaceX plans to ship it to its ground testing facilities in the area either today or tomorrow.
Once it ships Starship to the test site, another static fire of the rocket is likely. SpaceX's last static fire with multiple engines appeared to go off track in the final minutes. However, with the firm not having shared any details, the outcome of the test is unclear. A successful static fire would pave the way for Flight 9, as SpaceX has already tested the Super Heavy booster for the mission.
The booster previously flew on Starship Flight 7, and the upcoming mission will mark the first time SpaceX reuses a rocket on the Starship program. The firm also plans to reuse the upper-stage ship; however, these plans are now on hold due to the spacecraft's anomalous behavior on Flights 7 and 8.
Whether SpaceX still plans to fly catch hardware on the rocket on the upcoming flight is uncertain as well, and the firm's NASA lunar landing missions along with new Starlink satellite launches hinge on a successful outcome of Starship Flight 9.
The Local Notice to Mariners for Starship Flight 9 has been changed to start on May 20th. https://t.co/rBpOsj0ou5 pic.twitter.com/F1flsH6HAv
— Felix Space Time (@Space_Time3) May 9, 2025
About the author: Ramish is a seasoned technology writer and editor with more than a decade of experience. He specializes in semiconductor fabrication and market analysis. With a background in finance and supply chain management - via his bachelors in Finance and a micromasters in supply chain management from MIT - Ramish combines financial rigor with deep industry insight to deliver accurate and authoritative coverage.
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