The demonstration was SpaceX’s first full-duration Starship flight test since Flight 6 on Nov. 19, 2024, although not for lack of trying. After successful separation from Super Heavy boosters, Starship upper stages for Flights 7, 8 and 9—which took place on Jan. 16, March 6 and May 27, respectively—were prematurely lost for different reasons.

The Ship that just moved to the pad is the second SpaceX has prepped for Flight 10. The first one exploded on a test stand at Starbase on June 18 while gearing up for a static fire, a common prelaunch trial in which a rocket's engines are briefly ignited while the vehicle remains anchored to the ground.