To reach the necessary altitude and speed, "the rocket has to do different things when it's experiencing different levels of gravity," she added.

What's the flight plan?

If Starship reaches orbit, it will circle Earth six times before splashing down in the Pacific Ocean. The Super Heavy first-stage booster will drop into the Gulf of Mexico shortly after launch. SpaceX will not try to catch it with the launch tower's mechanical arms this time.

The black-and-silver vehicle stands as the largest and most powerful object ever flown. SpaceX eventually hopes to make it fully reusable, but engineers still face a long list of technical challenges before commercial flights or missions to the moon and Mars can begin.

Why does the test carry so much weight?

From an engineering standpoint, "just achieving flight and getting data" would count as a success, Curlee said. But investors and spectators expect more than that.

"They need to have flashy tests" because anything less would look like a failure, she added.

SpaceX staged a high-profile initial public offering in June, and the company still dominates global launch services with its partially reusable Falcon rockets. Monday's flight could shape how the market reads both Starship's technical promise and the company's financial trajectory.

How does competition factor in?

A Chinese company has recently advanced its own reusable-rocket program, adding competitive pressure. Starship's development has also faced repeated delays along the way.

Curlee noted that SpaceX has turned risk-taking into its operating philosophy, betting that public spectacle and rapid iteration will keep it ahead of rivals.

What comes next?

Whether Monday's attempt succeeds or not, SpaceX plans three additional launches later the same week. One of those missions will carry a crew of astronauts to the International Space Station.

Future Starship tests, according to the company, will include attempts to refuel the vehicle in orbit. That capability is a key building block for any deep-space mission, whether to the moon or to Mars.