The massive rocket is at the center of the company’s ambitions for space exploration, and Elon Musk’s longtime plan to send people to Mars.

Starship has flown five times to date — in April and November of 2023 and March, June and October of this year. During the most recent flight, which occurred on Oct. 13, SpaceX successfully landed Super Heavy back on the launch pad, catching the giant booster with the "chopstick" arms of Starbase's launch tower.