SpaceX successfully launched its 11th Starship test flight on Monday from its Texas launch facility, marking the final trial before it shifts focus to an upgraded prototype designed for moon and Mars missions.
The massive vehicle, composed of the Starship upper stage atop the Super Heavy booster, soared skyward as planned. After separating the Starship stage, the Super Heavy booster performed a controlled water landing in the Gulf of Mexico 6testing a new landing engine configuration before self-destructing safe out at sea.
Just like its August predecessor, Monday's mission deployed mock Starlink satellites, reignited engines in orbit, and put its heat shield tiles through the paces during re-entry, ultimately splashing down west of Australia.
Acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy said on X that the mission was "another major step toward landing Americans on the moon's south pole."
Looking ahead, SpaceX plans to put an upgraded Starship prototype through its paces by year's end or early next year. This version will feature docking adapters and other systems crucial for orbital refueling 6a complex ballet where two Starships rendezvous in space to transfer hundreds of tonnes of super-cooled propellant.
The refueling demonstration, slated for next year, is a critical test for missions that could one day ferry humans to the moon's south pole and, eventually, to Mars. Each milestone brings the private space industry closer to reshaping our presence beyond Earth.
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SpaceX completes 11th Starship test before debuting upgraded prototype
cgtn.com
