Starship’s 11th Test Flight Marks New Era for SpaceX Rocket

Massive vehicle caps off a tumultuous year with a successful mission as SpaceX turns to the next phase of testing.

Jack Daleo

Tuesday, October 14, 2025 at 02:30 PM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

SpaceX’s Starship rocket and Super Heavy booster lift off on their 11th test flight. [Courtesy: SpaceX]

Key Takeaways:

SpaceX's Starship successfully completed its 11th test flight, marking its second consecutive reentry and splashdown and concluding the V2 configuration's test phase for 2025.
The company is transitioning to an upgraded Version 3 (V3) Starship in early 2026, featuring larger tanks and upgraded engines, which is critical for achieving orbital missions, rapid reuse, in-orbit propellant transfer, and supporting NASA's Artemis III lunar landing.
SpaceX is expanding infrastructure, including new launch pads and manufacturing facilities, to enable mass production and a high launch cadence for V3, aiming for frequent deep-space missions and addressing previous heat shield challenges.

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SpaceX’s Starship rocket successfully completed its 11th test flight on Monday, capping a tumultuous year for the hulking vehicle as the company looks to push the envelope with a more powerful configuration.

Monday’s test continued Starship’s return to form, marking its second consecutive reentry and splashdown following a string of in-flight and test stand mishaps. It was Starship’s final flight of 2025 and the swan song for the rocket’s Version 2 (V2) configuration, which SpaceX intends to replace with an upgraded Version 3 (V3) in early 2026.