Image: SpaceX
SpaceX successfully launched its eleventh Starship flight test on Monday evening, marking the final mission for the company’s second-generation Starship and first-generation Super Heavy booster. The rocket lifted off from Starbase, Texas, at 4:23 p.m. PT/7:23 p.m. ET, completing what appeared to be a nearly flawless flight.
The company said that “every major objective of the flight test was achieved,” closing out the V2 Starship program on a high note. During ascent, all 33 Raptor engines on the Super Heavy booster fired as planned before a smooth hot-staging sequence handed propulsion duties to Starship’s six Raptor engines for its climb to space.
The booster, which previously flew on Flight 8, completed its boostback burn and then performed a complex landing burn sequence, firing 13 Raptor engines before transitioning down to five and finally three for a controlled hover above the Gulf of Mexico. It then splashed down as planned, successfully testing the landing configuration SpaceX intends to use on future Super Heavy designs.
Meanwhile, the Starship upper stage completed a full-duration ascent burn and deployed eight Starlink simulators — metal payloads built to mimic next-generation satellites. The spacecraft also performed a Raptor engine relight in orbit, a key capability for future deorbit and propellant transfer operations. After reentry, Starship executed a controlled flip and soft splashdown in the Indian Ocean, gathering valuable heat shield and aerodynamic data.
Flight 11 followed a successful tenth test back in August, which saw the vehicle achieve all its major objectives and perform the first Starlink simulator deployment. Data from both missions will help refine SpaceX’s upcoming V3 Starship design, which the company hopes will enable orbital missions and, eventually, flights to the Moon and Mars.
The V3 variant could debut later this year, with Elon Musk saying that “heavy flight activity” is expected to begin in 2026. SpaceX aims to demonstrate in-orbit refueling, payload deliveries, its first attempt to catch a returning Starship upper stage, and more with the V3 rocket design. Over the weekend, the company also unveiled plans to begin commercial Starship cargo missions to the Moon by 2028 and to Mars by 2030.
With the V2 fleet now retired, SpaceX’s focus shifts to developing the fully reusable V3 system, which is expected to form the foundation for the company’s future deep-space operations.
Watch SpaceX’s full 11th flight test of Starship in the video below:
