SpaceX Conducts 11th Starship Test Flight, Paving Way for Upgraded Prototype
SpaceX successfully completed its 11th Starship test flight, achieving key objectives and setting the stage for the next-generation Starship V3.
On October 13, 2025, SpaceX launched its 11th Starship test flight from Starbase, Texas, marking the final mission of the current second-generation hardware. The mission achieved all major objectives, including a full-duration ascent, successful booster landing simulation, deployment of Starlink test payloads, and an in-space engine relight.
The Super Heavy booster executed a modified landing sequence, transitioning from a 13-engine burn to five, before completing the descent with three central engines. This new 13-5-3 engine sequence is designed to provide redundancy against spontaneous engine shutdowns.
Starship's upper stage completed a full-duration burn, achieved its targeted orbital trajectory, and conducted a test deployment of eight Starlink simulators. The exercise served to validate deployment hardware and test orientation control and structural integrity under load.
This flight concludes the development arc of the second-generation Starship system. SpaceX now turns its focus to Starship Version 3—a major redesign featuring enhanced propellant capacity, orbital refueling support, and a larger physical profile. The first flight of V3 is slated for early 2026 and will lift off from a newly outfitted launch pad near the original Starbase site.