At 6:23 PM Central Time on October 13th, SpaceX's next-generation heavy-lift rocket, Starship, launched from Texas, successfully completing its eleventh test flight. This flight not only validated several key technologies but also marked the successful conclusion of Starship V2 development. The rocket booster ultimately landed in a designated area in the Gulf of Mexico, while the spacecraft precisely splashed down in the Indian Ocean after completing its mission.
This mission continued the core objectives of the tenth flight: achieving a controlled splashdown of the Super Heavy booster and a safe landing of the spacecraft. SpaceX also tested a new landing burn strategy for the first time. The next-generation booster will utilize a 13-engine ignition followed by a transition to a five-engine configuration, significantly improving flight redundancy. Notably, the booster used in this test mission had already flown its eighth mission, requiring only nine engine replacements, demonstrating SpaceX's breakthrough in rocket reuse technology.
The spacecraft also underwent innovative modifications. Engineers proactively removed some thermal protection tiles to test the heat resistance of specific areas, while also conducting dynamic roll maneuvers to simulate a future return path. During the flight, the spacecraft successfully released eight simulated Starlink satellites at an altitude of 192 kilometers and completed an in-space engine restart. Despite the extreme heat, the spacecraft flawlessly executed all maneuvers, with the landing precision even being recorded by a deployed camera buoy. SpaceX officials stated that while recovery of the spacecraft was not planned for this mission, its performance far exceeded expectations.
