While Starship has garnered significant attention, leading many to assume that the United States — primarily through SpaceX — stands alone in developing a super-heavy rocket aimed at reducing launch costs and enabling missions to Mars,

SpaceX is planning the sixth test launch of its Starship mega-rocket from South Texas as soon as Nov. 18. The commercial space company announced the plans Wednesday, hours after Donald Trump was reelected to the presidency with help from SpaceX CEO Elon Musk.

SpaceX could launch its Starship rocket in a couple of weeks, for the sixth test flight of the craft. A launch is planned for as soon as November 18.

The five previous flights of Starship, dating back to April 2023, have all launched near dawn from South Texas. For the upcoming mission, the company will look for a late-afternoon launch window, which will allow the vehicle to reenter during daylight into the Indian Ocean.

China aims to develop its own reusable megarocket over the coming decade, and it will look a lot like SpaceX's Starship vehicle.

China ’s space agency has unveiled an updated design of its first super-heavy reusable rocket which looks eerily similar to SpaceX ’s Starship launch vehicle. New images of the rocket, released at a major airshow in Zhuhai,