SpaceX is preparing for the seventh experimental flight of their most potent rocket yet, Starship. The space exploration company, under the leadership of Elon Musk, is aiming to initiate this test flight on Wednesday, January 15, during the afternoon.

The Starship will be launched from SpaceX’s Starbase facility near Boca Chica, Texas, just as it was for the previous six flights. The colossal Starship, standing at 120 meters high, is composed of the initial phase Super Heavy booster and the top stage Starship spacecraft.

If all goes as planned, the upcoming test flight will witness Starship’s first payload deployment of 10 Starlink satellite simulators. The mission will also mark another first as it will re-use a Raptor engine from the Super Heavy booster that previously launched and returned on Starship’s fifth flight in October. The Starship will also incorporate a series of upgrades, including enhancements to the flight computer, avionics, and heat shield.

The live stream of Wednesday’s test flight will be closely monitored by many to see if SpaceX can successfully return the Super Heavy booster using the launch tower’s giant mechanical arms. This remarkable feat was accomplished on the first attempt during the fifth test in October but couldn’t be replicated in the sixth test the following month.

The Super Heavy booster, equivalent in height to a 20-story building at 70 meters, will perform a precision maneuver involving a controlled descent, ultimately resting gently on the launch tower’s arms. This method of returning the booster enables SpaceX to refurbish the rocket for multiple Starship missions, significantly reducing launch costs. SpaceX is also in the process of developing a landing system for the Starship spacecraft for its return to Earth and landings on other celestial bodies. The current test flights involve splashdowns in the Indian Ocean.

According to SpaceX, the upcoming year holds transformative potential for Starship with the aim of reusing the entire system and conducting increasingly audacious missions. The ultimate goal is to be capable of sending both humans and cargo to Earth orbit, the moon, and Mars.

For those interested in viewing the much-anticipated Starship mission on Wednesday, Digital Trends provides all the necessary information for live streaming.