Technologies

SpaceX Starship Mission 3: How to Watch the March 14 Launch

SpaceX is inching closer to another Starship launch. And its third mission may be its most ambitious yet.

Rocket launches can be thrilling to watch, but the last two SpaceX Starship launches offered a little more than viewers bargained for: both spaceships exploded after takeoff. Still, the company considered the missions successful, thanks to the data and information it was able to collect. And it’s not stopping. SpaceX on Tuesday announced plans to launch its third Starship mission on March 14, pending US regulatory approval.

The mission will stream live on X, the social media platform owned by SpaceX owner Elon Musk. You’ll have to be up early to watch, as the streaming is scheduled to begin at 7:30 a.m. ET, about 30 minutes before scheduled liftoff. In a mission description on its website, however, SpaceX said the mission timing was «likely to change,» telling viewers to keep checking back.

Starship is arguably the most ambitious effort for Musk, who runs the satellite-based internet company Starlink, along with EV maker Tesla, X and the neurotechnology company Neuralink. The Starship missions are critical to SpaceX’s — and Musk’s — goal of getting to and eventually settling the moon and Mars.

Now, as SpaceX looks ahead to this mission, it has much more to accomplish. And with a new flight trajectory and hopes of even greater data insights, the space company’s third mission may prove to be its most important yet.

What to expect from the Starship mission

SpaceX’s third Starship mission is designed to test whether the spacecraft can complete certain tasks. After liftoff, the company will attempt to open Starship’s payload door and transfer its propellant from one part of the starship to the other. For the first time, SpaceX will also attempt to relight its Raptor engine while in space, a test that could be critical for future missions as it eventually tries to propel Starship through space.

Starship is taking a different flight path this time around, and will attempt to land safely in the Indian Ocean instead of the Pacific Ocean. In a statement, SpaceX said that the new flight path is designed to maximize «public safety,» but the company didn’t discuss how.

The new flight path will also pave the way for SpaceX to try «in-space engine burns,» a reference to the company attempting to reignite the Raptor engine in space.

This mission is slated to last for an hour and 15 minutes. Previous missions, if completed, would have lasted 90 minutes.

What happened in the previous missions?

April mission: Forced detonation

The first Starship mission launched in April 2023. Early on in the mission, the two stages of the Starship — the reusable upper stage, called Starship, and its Super Heavy first-stage booster — were supposed to separate. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen, and for safety reasons, the SpaceX team was forced to detonate the Starship just 4 minutes into the mission.

November mission: Explosion due to liquid oxygen

In November 2023, Starship launched its second mission. That time around, Starship was able to separate its two stages and it reached nominal first-stage engine burn. However, Starship exploded 8 minutes after launch, when it tried to vent its liquid oxygen. Oddly, the explosion may not have needed to happen. Earlier this year, Musk said on a real mission carrying payload — meaning the materials a spaceship carries to perform its scientific mission — liquid oxygen wouldn’t be onboard.

Third time’s the charm?

While both missions technically failed, SpaceX has called them, especially the second mission, successful. And the company cautioned that even if the upcoming third mission goes awry, it’s not all bad.

«Starship’s second flight test achieved a number of major milestones and provided invaluable data to continue rapidly developing Starship,» the company wrote on its site. «Each of these flight tests continue to be just that: a test. They aren’t occurring in a lab or on a test stand, but are putting flight hardware in a flight environment to maximize learning.»

When will the Starship mission launch?

Starship’s third mission is set to launch on March 14 at 8 a.m. ET. However, in order for that to happen, the weather will need to cooperate and there must be no issues with the Starship in the run-up to launch.

Additionally, SpaceX is able to launch Starship only after receiving a Federal Aviation Administration license, which it has yet to receive. That’s likely why SpaceX has said that the timing of the launch is «dynamic and likely to change.»

How to watch Starship mission 3

SpaceX will offer two livestreams for watching the third mission live.

The first option is the SpaceX third mission landing page, where the SpaceX broadcast team will go live 30 minutes before launch.

Not surprisingly, given Musk’s involvement in both SpaceX and X, the mission will air live on SpaceX’s X account. It will go live 30 minutes before launch.

Technologies

Stuck in a Coffee Rut? ChatGPT Can Now Plan Your Next Starbucks Order

Don’t be surprised if the chatbot suggests mixing espresso with lemonade.

If you like getting your daily cup of coffee from Starbucks, you’ll now be able to consult with ChatGPT for your next beverage. Starbucks said on Wednesday that a new Starbucks app in ChatGPT, now in beta, will help you figure out your next order based on your mood or craving in the moment.

Although you won’t be able to order your Starbucks coffee directly through the ChatGPT app, it will suggest drinks and menu items you may enjoy, then direct you to the Starbucks app or website to complete your order.

OpenAI has added a host of other apps you can interact with in ChatGPT since announcing the functionality last year. You can do everything from browsing home listings to designing playlists without leaving the chatbot interface.

You’ll be able to use prompts like, «@Starbucks, I want something bright to start my morning,» or upload an image to describe your mood and location. Once the menu suggestion appears in ChatGPT, you can start the order through the chatbot and then complete it in the Starbucks app or online.

Paul Riedel, senior vice president of digital and loyalty at Starbucks, said in a statement that Starbucks noticed customers weren’t always starting off by looking at the menu. «They’re starting with a feeling,» he said. «We wanted to meet customers right in that moment of inspiration and make it easier than ever to find a drink that fits.»

Starbucks said interacting with ChatGPT lets you personalize your order more and discover menu options you never considered before.

(Disclosure: Ziff Davis, CNET’s parent company, in 2025 filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.)

When I tried out the new feature, I asked it about the oddest beverage combinations you can get at Starbucks. One interesting combo ChatGPT came up with was espresso with lemonade. The AI described another drink as «basically liquid dessert soup,» if that’s more up your alley.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints and Answers for April 16, #570

Here are hints and the answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle for April 16 No. 570.

Looking for the most recent regular Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle and Strands puzzles.

Today’s Connections: Sports Edition is a fun one, especially if you enjoy unusual team names. If you’re struggling with today’s puzzle but still want to solve it, read on for hints and the answers.

Connections: Sports Edition is published by The Athletic, the subscription-based sports journalism site owned by The Times. It doesn’t appear in the NYT Games app, but it does in The Athletic’s own app. Or you can play it for free online.

Read more: NYT Connections: Sports Edition Puzzle Comes Out of Beta

Hints for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: Put your glasses on for this.

Green group hint: Hoops home.

Blue group hint: The minors.

Purple group hint: Hidden hoops word.

Answers for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Yellow group: Look at.

Green group: Seen at an NBA court.

Blue group: Double-A baseball teams.

Purple group: Starts with a WNBA team.

Read more: Wordle Cheat Sheet: Here Are the Most Popular Letters Used in English Words

What are today’s Connections: Sports Edition answers?

The yellow words in today’s Connections

The theme is look at. The four answers are observe, spectate, view and watch.

The green words in today’s Connections

The theme is seen at an NBA court. The four answers are benches, half-court logo, scorer’s table and shot clock.

The blue words in today’s Connections

The theme is double-A baseball teams. The four answers are Biscuits, Drillers, Trash Pandas and Wind Surge.

The purple words in today’s Connections

The theme is starts with a WNBA team. The four answers are dreamy, firefly, Skype and sundial.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Thursday, April 16

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for April 16.

Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Need some help with today’s Mini Crossword? It’s pretty simple, but 1-Across is a bit tricky. Read on for all the answers. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword

Let’s get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.