SpaceX launched its fully equipped Starship spacecraft for the first time on Monday, January 23, 2023, marking an important milestone on the path to the spacecraft’s first orbital flight.

Elon Musk’s company conducted the so-called “wet suit rehearsal” of the launch with a 120-foot-long spacecraft at its base in southern Texas. As part of this test, most of the procedures to be performed on the actual launch day were performed, including filling the first and upper stages with liquid oxygen and liquid methane fuel. At the same time, the engines did not ignite during the tests, so the ship is still awaiting fire tests.

SpaceX reported:

Starship completed its first full flight-like dress rehearsal on the spaceport today. This is the first time a combined ship and launch vehicle has been fully charged with more than 10 million pounds of fuel.