Starship Flight 9 Test Scheduled for Today

This test will reuse a booster for the first time. Given the problems with the Starship in tests 7 and 8, this is an important trial. It's scheduled for 6:30-8:30 pm Central. Here are some details about previous tests:

1. April 20, 2023 - 3 of the booster engines did not start, damaged launch pad, was destroyed about four minutes into flight.
2. November 18, 2023 - all 33 engines worked on the booster. It was destroyed during the boost back burn. The Starship engines fired. Cutoff was unsuccessful and it was destroyed.
3. March 14, 2024 - booster was a success until about 500 meters from landing in the Gulf. Starship went into suborbital path - burned up at about 40 miles.
4. June 6, 2024 - booster landed in the water, Starship landed in the water.
5. October 13, 2024 - first catch of booster - major achievement, Starship landed in the water.
6. November 19, 2024 - booster landed in the water due to damage to launch tower. Starship landed in water.
7. January 16, 2025 - 2nd catch of booster, Starship vs 2 had an issue and was destroyed.
8. March 6, 2025 - similar results to 7 but SpaceX has said that the Starship issue was different.

The pace of launches is speeding up. Bob Zimmerman (the writer, not the musician) has said that the FAA under Biden was anti-SpaceX and slowed down the pace through bureaucratic means.

Here's the catch of the booster in Test 5.