Additional Coverage:
SpaceX’s Starship Aces Final Flight Test, Paving Way for Next Generation
Boca Chica, TX – SpaceX’s second-generation Starship vehicle has successfully concluded its flight test program, achieving all primary objectives during its 11th and final flight from Starbase in Texas on October 13. This successful launch follows another significant test in August, where Starship deployed its payload for the first time.
The recent string of successes marks a turnaround for the super-heavy lift vehicle, which previously experienced several setbacks. Earlier tests saw Starship explode during ascent in its seventh and eighth flights, and a ninth test failed to deploy its payload. Additionally, a Starship vehicle suffered an on-ground explosion during a routine test while preparing for its tenth flight.
During the recent October 13 launch, all 33 Raptor engines ignited as planned, and both stage separation and the first-stage ascent proceeded smoothly. The Super Heavy booster executed a controlled splashdown into the ocean, as intended. Starship successfully deployed all of its Starlink simulators before re-entering Earth’s atmosphere.
A key objective of this final flight was to intentionally stress the vehicle during its reentry burn to assess the limits of its heat shield. In the final moments of the flight, Starship performed a banking maneuver, designed to simulate trajectories for future missions returning to the Starbase facility.
With the successful completion of this test series, SpaceX announced it will now shift its focus to the development of the next generation of Starship and Super Heavy. The company is currently preparing multiple versions of both the vehicle and its booster for upcoming tests, with the aim of utilizing them for the first orbital Starship flights and operational payload missions.