SpaceX to launch Nov. 18, lift-off scheduled for afternoon

BROWNSVILLE, Texas (ValleyCentral) — SpaceX is still looking at Monday, Nov. 18 for the sixth test of its Starship.

According to SpaceX.com, one notable change is the target launch time between 4 and 4:30 p.m.

Shifting the launch time from morning to afternoon enables the upper stage to reenter over the Indian Ocean after sunrise for better lighting conditions, according to SpaceX.

Just a few weeks ago, SpaceX launched its fifth starship rocket from Starbase, and for the first time, it successfully caught the super heavy booster back at the launch pad.

"The next Starship flight test aims to expand the envelope on ship and booster capabilities and get closer to bringing reuse of the entire system online," SpaceX stated. "Objectives include the booster once again returning to the launch site for catch, reigniting a ship Raptor engine while in space, and testing a suite of heatshield experiments and maneuvering changes for ship reentry and descent over the Indian Ocean."