SpaceX is proceeding with the eleventh integrated flight test of its massive Starship rocket today, October 13, 2025, launching from the Starbase facility in Boca Chica, Texas. The launch window is scheduled to open at 6:15 p.m. Central Time, with meteorological forecasts indicating mostly sunny skies and temperatures near 82°F (28°C), conditions favorable for the operation. This mission is a crucial step in validating the core technologies required for a fully reusable space transportation system, building upon the successes of the tenth flight test conducted in late August.
The flight plan emphasizes rigorous system validation across both stages. A primary objective for the Super Heavy Booster involves demonstrating a unique landing burn engine configuration, a maneuver essential for achieving rapid turnaround capability in future operations. This booster, which previously flew on Flight 8 and is equipped with 24 flight-proven Raptor engines, will attempt this burn on a trajectory leading to an offshore splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico, rather than an on-site catch. The booster’s descent sequence includes igniting 13 engines, transitioning to five for the divert phase, and concluding with three engines for the final hover segment.
Simultaneously, the Starship Upper Stage is slated to execute several in-flight experiments designed to push the vehicle toward operational readiness. This includes deploying eight payloads simulating next-generation Starlink satellites into suborbital space and attempting a single Raptor engine relight while in orbit. Critically, engineers are intentionally assessing the heat shield’s resilience by removing a predetermined number of tiles in vulnerable areas, allowing for direct analysis of material limits during atmospheric re-entry.
The upper stage’s reentry sequence is designed to mimic future return profiles, incorporating a dynamic banking maneuver to test subsonic guidance algorithms before a planned splashdown in the Indian Ocean. This comprehensive testing regimen, guided by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), directly supports SpaceX’s long-term vision of establishing sustained human presence on the Moon and Mars. The successful execution of these complex recovery and re-entry mechanisms defines the economic viability of the entire Starship architecture.