SpaceX looked to change space travel with its historic Starship 15 mission

This week, SpaceX is aiming for a test flight that could change space travel in a major way.

On Friday, the company plans to launch Starship 15 from its Starbase facility in southern Texas, near Brownsville.

The company said reusability is a goal with its rockets and spacecraft. However, so far, SpaceX has yet to reuse any ship it has launched, but it could change this week.

The company is aiming to launch around 4:45 p.m. on Friday.

Shortly after, it says the booster will detach from the ship and return to Starbase, where it will be caught.

As for the ship, the company is planning a 22-hour orbital mission. Once complete, SpaceX will attempt to catch the ship at Starbase.

The company already does this with its smaller rockets, and has brought astronauts to and from the International Space Station.

NASA administrator Jared Isaacman said during last month's Artemis news conference that this latest move by SpaceX is the next big step in space travel development after they've accomplished reusability with their Falcon 9 rocket.

"They keep flexing those muscles, and they do that all the time," Isaacman said. "What they're doing right now is the hardware design, their reusability, their thermal protection, their reliability, the propulsion system."

No humans will be on board the spacecraft on Friday. However, the mission could be crucial to help get humans back to the moon.

Next year, NASA is depending on Starship to deliver a lunar lander into orbit, where the Artemis III crew will dock with it.

Then, in 2028, NASA said the Artemis IV crew will use the lander to return to the lunar surface.

ABC13's Nick Natario is in South Texas for the Starship 15 mission and will report live starting Thursday night.