SpaceX is gearing up for its latest test flight of the Starship megarocket, which will eventually take NASA astronauts to the moon.

This upcoming launch is the fifth unmanned test of the impressive 400-foot rocket and comes after receiving last-minute approval from the Federal Aviation Administration. SpaceX’s CEO, Elon Musk, who envisions Starship carrying humans to Mars by 2028, announced plans for a Sunday launch even before the FAA gave the green light.

Regarded as the largest and most powerful rocket ever constructed, Starship successfully landed in the Indian Ocean in its latest test in June, after three prior flights ended with explosions. This time, SpaceX engineers aim to replicate that successful landing and also hope to return the Super Heavy booster rocket in one piece to the launch site.

Here’s how you can watch the fifth test flight of the Starship.

When Will the Starship Launch Occur?

The fifth test flight of the Starship is scheduled for Sunday, October 13, with a launch window beginning at 8 a.m. EDT.

Although the launch date is later than SpaceX hoped—Musk indicated the company was ready in August—it is still sooner than the expected November timeframe set by the FAA.

As of Thursday, preparations for the launch appear to be in full swing at SpaceX’s Starbase located in Boca Chica near Brownsville, Texas.

How to View the Starship Launch

SpaceX will provide a livestream of the test flight starting about 30 minutes before liftoff.

The webcast will be accessible via its official website and the social media platform X, with additional coverage available on SpaceX’s new X TV app.

“As with all development tests, our schedule is subject to change, so be sure to follow our X account for updates,” SpaceX stated.

Key Information About Starship

SpaceX has invested years into the development and testing of the Starship, which is expected to play a vital role as soon as 2026 when American astronauts return to the moon.

Under NASA’s ambitious Artemis program, the first lunar initiative since the Apollo missions of the 1970s, SpaceX received a significant $2.9 billion contract to create a spacecraft capable of safely transporting astronauts from orbit to the moon’s surface.

In the future, NASA’s Artemis initiative aims to build a lunar base at the south pole. This area is believed to have a rich supply of water ice, which could potentially be used for drinking, breathing, and as a source of hydrogen and oxygen needed for rocket fuel, facilitating crewed missions to Mars—an endeavor Musk aims to kick off by 2028.

The first crewed test flight of Starship is scheduled for the final mission of the Polaris Program, which is funded by SpaceX and billionaire entrepreneur Jared Isaacman. The first spaceflight under the program, Polaris Dawn, occurred last month and featured the first-ever commercial spacewalk conducted by a crew aboard a Dragon capsule.

The Starship spacecraft, which stands 165 feet tall, has completed several uncrewed trial flights. During its latest test in June, it successfully landed in the Indian Ocean, while its 232-foot rocket booster touched down in the Gulf of Mexico.

Despite its first three tests resulting in explosions, SpaceX representatives state that the vehicle has shown continuous improvement with each trial. This progression was evident in the March test, which marked significant achievements and included important in-flight operations, bringing it closer to being reliable and effective.