SpaceXS Starship Completes 11th Test Flight, Reaching New Heights
Texas – spacex successfully launched and landed its Starship rocket today, marking a major milestone in the development of the ambitious program aimed at lunar and Martian exploration. The 11th test flight,which took off from Starbase,Texas shortly after 6:25 PM local time (11:25 PM GMT),saw the massive rocket – standing over 120 meters tall – reach an altitude of approximately 200 kilometers.
The first stage booster, Super Heavy, successfully separated from Starship approximately three minutes after liftoff and executed a controlled descent into the sea. Starship continued its journey, deploying a payload of eight Starlink satellites before making a precise splashdown in the Indian ocean 1 hour and 6 minutes after launch.
This success follows a series of test failures,including a scrubbed launch attempt in August due to technical issues. SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell stated last month, “We have done everything possible to ensure the success of the next test flight, Flight 11,” but added a note of caution, “But, you know, you never know when you’re going to get punched in the face, so we’ll see.”
Developed by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, the Starship program aims to create a fully reusable transportation system capable of carrying both crew and cargo to the Moon, Mars, and beyond. Following this successful test, SpaceX plans to move forward with more advanced Starship prototypes designed specifically for these deep-space missions.
