SpaceX got the official launch order on March 7, meaning all the prep work was completed in less than three months. That's a new record for U.S. national security missions, which typically take 18 to 24 months to get off the pad, according to Space Force officials.

Although the flight did not end as well as SpaceX officials hoped, the company made some tangible progress Tuesday. Most importantly, it broke the streak of back-to-back launch failures on Starship's two most recent test flights in January and March.

Starbase was officially formed earlier this month after Elon Musk's aerospace and defense contractor prevailed in a local election.

SpaceX is targeting a whopping 170 orbital liftoffs in 2025, which would shatter the record the company set just last year.

Get live updates on the Starship rocket launch from SpaceX's Starbase headquarters in Texas. See what time it launches, where to watch and news on Musk's company.

Musk will discuss progress and next steps toward building a human presence on the Red Planet ahead of Starship’s ninth test flight today.

The consecutive failures may have decreased the likelihood SpaceX can meet NASA’s goal of landing on the moon in 2027, experts said.

The White House confirmed to Reuters that Musk's offboarding began last night following a decision 'at a senior staff level.'