In an exciting step forward for SpaceX's Starship spacecraft, the company recently ignited the engines of its newest iteration as it prepares for an imminent test flight. On Friday afternoon (July 26), a "static fire" was performed with the 165-foot-tall (50 meters) Starship upper stage at the Starbase facility in Brownsville, Texas.

Thanks to photos and a video shared by SpaceX on Saturday (July 27), spectators gained a glimpse of the fiery action during the static fire. Such tests involve briefly igniting the engines while the vehicle remains anchored to the launch or test pad and are a common prelaunch trial.

This marks SpaceX's second static fire for the Starship, with the first-stage mate being tested on July 15. The exact date for Flight 5 remains uncertain, as company founder and CEO Elon Musk had initially stated that Starship would fly again "in four weeks" during an announcement on July 5. This implied a possible target date of Friday, August 2, or thereabouts. However, media reports now suggest that SpaceX is aiming for a late August or early September launch.

The Starship stands as the largest and most powerful rocket ever constructed, towering nearly 400 feet (122 meters) in height when fully stacked. Both the spacecraft, referred to as Starship or "Ship," and the booster, known as Super Heavy, have been designed for complete reusability, offering rapid turnaround times.

SpaceX envisions the Starship's combination of immense power and reusability to be revolutionary in terms of making lunar and Martian settlements economically feasible. This vision aligns with NASA's goals, as the agency has selected Starship to become the first crewed lander for its Artemis program, which focuses on moon exploration.

As anticipation builds, the world awaits further updates from SpaceX regarding the upcoming test flight of the groundbreaking Starship.