Residents of Puerto Rico may be able to see SpaceX’s Starship spacecraft pass overhead on Friday, November 13, if weather conditions allow, the Sociedad de Astronomía del Caribe (SAC) said. The launch is scheduled from SpaceX’s Starbase facility in Boca Chica, Texas, with a window opening at 6:45 PM. Puerto Rico time and extending to 8:00 PM. The SAC said the spacecraft’s trajectory would carry it south of Puerto Rico, making it visible from various points on the island.
Observers should look toward the southwest, at 225 degrees on the compass, and the craft could become visible 11 to 13 minutes after launch, so people should watch closely once liftoff is confirmed. The SAC said the sound of the vehicle might be heard even if cloud cover blocks the view, noting it has documented that Starship produces low-intensity electrophonic sounds that coincide with the craft’s passage and are perceived almost in real time.
This is Starship’s 15th flight and will carry 26 Starlink satellites. A main goal is to try to recover both main parts of the rocket for eventual reuse: the Super Heavy booster will try to return to its launch area, while the Starship upper stage will fly for about 22 hours and 14 orbits at roughly 171 miles (275 kilometers) before attempting to return to the launch site.
SpaceX has recovered three boosters in earlier tests, but this would be the first time it tries to recover both sections in one mission, the SAC said, warning that recovery attempts could be canceled if a fault is detected. Starship could also make an early descent over one of the designated maritime zones after deploying the satellites.
The SAC reminded the public that launches are subject to delays or cancellations and urged people to confirm the launch happened, by following SpaceX’s live broadcast, before going out to watch. The SAC also announced a free, public astronomy conference on Saturday, November 14, at 5:00 PM in Amphitheater 3 of the General Studies building at the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras campus.