Watching a Starship launch from South Texas can be an exciting experience! The trick is knowing when to be there. For now, that might take a little detective work.
The era of superheavy launch vehicles is here! Within the next few years, Artemis, New Glenn, Vulcan, and Neutron are all set to launch from US soil and push America further into space. Perhaps the most well known superheavy vehicle at this time is SpaceX’s Starship. Starship is being designed to carry humanity to Mars and beyond. Although in its infancy, Starship has achieved many goals over the past year alone.
SpaceX plans to launch Starship from the Kennedy Space Center in a mater of years. For now, Starship launches from Starbase, Texas, a small area close to the Mexican border. Over the past several years, SpaceX has turned Starbase from an ordinary beach to the city-like space center that it is today. Starbase has hosted over a dozen test flights of the Starship program, with many more planned.
Starbase and Bocha Chica Beach allow (at least, for now) perhaps the closest opportunity to witness the progression of the Starship program. Even without a launch, when the beach is open, space enthusiasts can watch in awe as SpaceX works to develop Starship and prepare for the next launch.
Witnessing a Starship launch is an incredible experience. But, they are more difficult to plan for compared to any launch from Florida. Typically, the launch time frames are more spontaneous, making an exact date difficult to predict. Additionally, the southern Texas area doesn’t have as many resources (rental cars, hotels, etc.) as compared to Florida, meaning that last minute trips can be expensive and nearly impossible.
So how can you plan to be in Texas for the next Starship launch attempt? Hype will build in the weeks and days coming up to launch, but here are some things to keep on your radar to help you prepare for the next launch try:
Temporary Flight Restrictions
Both the United States and Mexico will issue temporary flight restrictions for the days of the scheduled launch. These restrictions will list the launch window. Oftentimes, these are a few hours that are early in the morning. The past few attempts had windows of 0700-0900 CT. An easyway to track these is on Starbasestatus.com
Boca Chica Beach Closure Announcement
Boca Chica Beach, the public beach that borders Starbase, will issue notifications when the beach is closed. Just because the beach is closed, does not guarantee a launch attempt. The beach can also close for vehicle transports and static fires. Cameron County offers notifications of closures by texting “BEACH” to 866-513-3475. Online notices can be found at https://www.cameroncountytx.gov/spacex/
Cameron County Sheriff Announcement
The sheriff’s office of Cameron County will issue statements about tentative road and beach closures. Cameron County judges will issue the closures that will be relayed through the sheriff’s office. The statements will also identify what the closure is for. Keep an eye out for closures related to “launch activities.” These updates will be shared through the social media pages of the sheriff’s office.
Marine Hazard Areas
Notices will be issued by the US Coast Guard in the days before a launch attempt. These outline restricted areas for marine vessels during launch operations. These will be issued around Starbase and anywhere SpaceX is attempting to recover a booster.
Arming of the Flight Termination System
All rockets launching in the United States need to have a flight termination system (FTS) in place. The FTS will self-destruct the rocket if an anomaly occurs. Arming the FTS is one of the final signs that launch is imminent. Starship watchers will often share SpaceX employees doing this days before a launch will occur.
Evacuation Notice for Boca Chica Village
When SpaceX purchased the land for what is now Starbase, they bought out residents of the area. Some refused to move. SpaceX has to notify them of all testing operations. Because Starship is still in testing, what few residents are left have to evacuate their homes for their own safety. Many will share their evacuation notices on social media and many news outlets will pick them up and share as well. You can track evacuation and other notices on the Cameron County website.
Federal Aviation Administration Launch License Update
Thus far, every Starship launch has resulted in some anomaly. When the rocket fails to do what was intended, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requires an investigation. Following the first launch, the FAA oversaw the entire process. As of recently, the FAA has allowed SpaceX to finish its own investigations and send the findings for review. The report will state what SpaceX will do differently during the next launch to prevent mishap. Launch licenses are the final need to launch, and SpaceX will set everything else up in anticipation for licensing. In all attempts so far, SpaceX has attempted to launch Starship within 24 hours of receiving their launch license approval.
Wet Dress Rehearsal/Stacking
A wet dress rehearsal is a practice launch. The rocket is fueled and a practice countdown is performed. The engines on the vehicle are ignited to test pressures, but the rocket never leaves the ground. Typically, this has been done a few weeks before the launch attempt, and is a good indication that a launch s coming. Note, SpaceX is not required to have a current launch license to perform a wet dress rehearsal.
SpaceX/Elon Musk Update
SpaceX is very good about posting on X about launch attempts. SpaceX will share when the vehicle is ready and when the FAA updates the launch license. Elon Musk will usually do the same. These last minute updates are normally given ~24 hours before the first launch window opens, so this is also one of the last notifications that launch is imminent.
Air Traffic Control System Command Center Alerts
The FAA issues a daily alert for pilots which includes upcoming launch windows. The alert will include the no fly zones as well as upcoming days and launch windows. The primary purpose of these alerts is to tell pilots to stay out of the launch areas when a launch is due to occur. You can find alerts here by entering Houston in the “Center” search block.
Isla Blanca Park Announcement
Isla Blanca is a public park run by Cameron County on South Padre Island. It is a very popular viewing spot. Isla Blanca will announce a few days beforehand of when the viewing opportunity will be. It is first come, first served, and cash only.
Planning to travel to witness the next launch of Starship can be difficult. Be fluid with launch dates and have backup plans in place if launch scrubs or other delays. Good luck, and enjoy the history that you will be witnessing!
