SpaceX test fires Super Heavy booster for 7th Starship launch

SpaceX conducted a static fire of its Super Heavy booster on Monday to prepare for an upcoming seventh test flight of its giant Starship rocket.

During the static-fire test, SpaceX ignited 33 Raptor engines for the Super Heavy first-stage booster at the company's Starbase facility in the U.S. state of Texas.

SpaceX has not announced a launch date for Starship's seventh test flight yet. The company completed its sixth test flight of Starship rocket on November 19.

SpaceX's Starship spacecraft and Super Heavy rocket, collectively referred to as Starship, represent a fully reusable transportation system designed to carry both crew and cargo to Earth orbit, the moon, Mars and beyond.

Starship plays a key role in NASA. It is the vehicle that NASA selected to carry astronauts on the final leg of their trip to the moon during a mission called Artemis III, currently planned for 2026.