SpaceX has conducted the 11th test flight of its Starship superheavy launch vehicle, ending with a controlled splashdown in the Indian Ocean. This is the second fully successful test for the Version 2 prototype, following a series of failed launches earlier this year.
The rocket lifted off from Starbase in Texas and performed a series of planned maneuvers, including re-igniting one of its six engines in space, testing the cargo bay opening system, and releasing satellite mockups. During the descent, the vehicle successfully withstood temperatures of over 1400°C, before making a controlled landing in the ocean.
Starship and its Super Heavy booster are designed to be reusable. The company aims to have both parts of the rocket return to Earth and be relaunched, much like airplanes. As part of today's test, the Super Heavy also performed an experimental "hot" separation stage, in which the upper stage is pushed away from the booster by its own thrust, rather than by additional mechanisms.
According to SpaceX, the current flight was the last for the Version 2 series. The next test is planned to be carried out with Version 3, which the company is preparing for a mission for NASA in 2027. It is Starship that should deliver astronauts to the south pole of the Moon.
Acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy called the successful flight "another big step toward returning Americans to the Moon." At the same time, he stressed that the United States must maintain its lead in the new space race with China, CNN reports.
SpaceX estimates that Starship will be able to launch batches of 60 Starlink V3 satellites into orbit, providing up to 60 terabits of bandwidth per launch—20 times more than current Falcon 9 rockets.