SpaceX completed its eleventh Starship test launch on Monday evening, marking the company's second consecutive launch to achieve all planned mission objectives.
It was also the last launch of the V2 Starship rocket. The twelfth test flight will use the larger Starship V3 rocket, followed by the V4, which will ultimately fly to Mars for the first time.
The start was overwhelmingly successful. In its 12th test flight, SpaceX achieved all key mission objectives, including the second successful deployment of Starlink satellite simulators and relighting a Raptor engine in space. The latter achievement demonstrated “a critical capability for future deorbit burns,” the company said.
The ship officially launched from Starbase, Texas at 6:23 p.m. local time, firing all 33 engines and sending the ship into space.
Spaceship launch! pic.twitter.com/sbfmGAEPa6
– SpaceX (@SpaceX) October 13, 2025
A little over eight minutes later, the stage separation occurred and Super Heavy began its descent back into the Gulf of America, where it successfully crashed. The first part of the launch was completed.
Starlink simulators were deployed about twenty-one minutes after launch, when the Pez dispenser sent the artificial satellites into space without any problems:
Starship has successfully used ours @Starlink Simulators pic.twitter.com/muNMalZkbT
– SpaceX (@SpaceX) October 13, 2025
Perhaps the most anticipated part of the launch was Starship's banking maneuver and subsequent splashdown in the Indian Ocean.
Before Starship 11's launch and successful re-entry and landing, SpaceX had lost a few vehicles during this portion of previous flights.
However, the company has made huge improvements and is now successful in two consecutive launches. On Monday, both the approach and the splashdown were overwhelmingly successful:
Splashdown confirmed! Congratulations to the entire SpaceX team on an exciting eleventh Starship flight test! pic.twitter.com/llcIvNZFfg
– SpaceX (@SpaceX) October 14, 2025
The re-entry phase of this particular Starship launch was aimed at collecting data on the performance of the heat shield, SpaceX said. The heat shield was intentionally pushed to its limits to see how much it could withstand without failing.
SpaceX will now turn its focus to its next vehicles, including V3, which is larger and more powerful and will help the company gather even more information about its space launches:
SpaceX introduces Starship V3, the rocket built to finally reach Mars
The new design features Raptor 3 engines and massive grid ribs
Musk says it's leaner, meaner and READY for Mars pic.twitter.com/Wj8fBuXPIa
– RT (@RT_com) October 14, 2025
CEO Elon Musk said the third-generation Starship rocket will be built and tested by the end of the year.