SpaceX Fires All 33 Super Heavy Engines Ahead of Starship Flight 14

SpaceX has activated all 33 Raptor engines on its Super Heavy booster in preparation for the company’s next Starship test flight, the first time the vehicle will attempt an orbital launch. The engines were fired from the launch pad at the company’s Boca Chica facility, where the booster was secured and the vehicle’s systems were checked for the upcoming flight sequence.

The test flight will evaluate the integrated performance of the Super Heavy booster and the Starship spacecraft as they ascend to orbit, a critical milestone in SpaceX’s plan to enable crewed and cargo missions to the Moon, Mars and beyond. Engineers will monitor engine thrust, guidance, and staging operations during the ascent, while the Starship’s heat shield and re‑entry systems will be tested under the extreme conditions of orbital insertion and return.

If successful, the flight will demonstrate the viability of the fully reusable launch system that SpaceX has been developing for years, marking a significant step toward routine orbital access and deep‑space exploration. The company will analyze the data from the test to refine the design and schedule the next launch attempt.