--- title: "SpaceX Starhopper Will Fly for the Last Time Tonight" description: "SpaceX is gearing up for the last flight test of its Starhopper test vehicle of its upcoming Starship spacecraft at its Boca Chica test site in Texas." date: "2019-08-26" modified: "2019-08-26" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/spacex-starhopper-fly-last-time" categories: - "Space" - "SpaceX" tags: - "elon musk" - "SpaceX" - "starhopper" - "Starship" - "the digest" --- # SpaceX Starhopper Will Fly for the Last Time Tonight ![SpaceX is gearing up for the last flight test of its Starhopper test vehicle of its upcoming Starship spacecraft at its Boca Chica test site in Texas.]() *\Image: NASASpaceFlight Videos via YouTube\* ## Hop Matrix SpaceX is gearing up for the last flight test of its Starhopper test vehicle at its Boca Chica test site in Texas. The plan is to "hop" to an altitude of 150 meters or 492 feet — and, in the process, lay the groundwork for its upcoming Starship spacecraft. The test vehicle's [first untethered flight]() in July was a success. [Two separate videos](), uploaded by SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, showed the scaled-down but still enormous test vehicle hovering freely in the air for a few seconds before gently descending back to the ground. Local authorities from the surrounding Cameron County noted that a "malfunction of the SpaceX vehicle during flight" could possibly end up "breaking windows," [according to the *Brownsville Herald*](). They also recommended nearby residents leave their homes during the test flight, which is expected to take place this afternoon. ## Goodbye Starhopper The warnings aren't completely unfounded. Starhopper was engulfed in a [massive fireball]() during a test malfunction in July — and that was during a much smaller and shorter trial run. After Starhopper, SpaceX will turn its attention to the two full-scale Starship prototypes at the Boca Chica test site and in Cocoa, Florida. SpaceX's heavy lift "Super Heavy" rocket is expected to lift the final iteration of the spacecraft, [*Ars Technica* reports](). If all goes well, SpaceX’s Starship rocket could eventually ferry up to 100 passengers at a time to the Moon and far beyond. **READ MORE:** [One way or another, Starhopper about to make its final flight]() \[*Ars Technica*\] **More on Starhopper:** *[SpaceX “Starhopper” Will Attempt Longest Flight Yet This Weekend]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()