President-elect Donald Trump may be present at SpaceX’s sixth Starship test flight in Texas on Tuesday. The Federal Aviation Administration issued “Temporary flight restrictions for VIP movement” over Brownsville, Texas on Monday. Such restrictions usually precede high-profile visits.
The launch is significant as it marks the sixth test flight for Starship, SpaceX’s next-generation rocket system. The company aims to use Starship to transport humans and cargo to Mars.
During the test, SpaceX will attempt to catch Starship’s first-stage “Super Heavy” booster approximately 10 minutes after liftoff using large arms attached to a launch tower. This reusability technique previously caught Trump’s attention during a test in October.
“Did you see the way that sucker landed today?” Trump said at a rally following the Starship test.
Adding to the speculation, flight restrictions over Trump’s Florida property will be temporarily lifted during the same time frame as the launch.
Trump and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk have developed a close relationship, with Musk frequently advising Trump. Musk was recently part of Trump’s entourage that traveled from Florida to New York for an Ultimate Fighting Championship event.
Neither the Trump transition team nor SpaceX has commented on the President-elect’s plans.
