SpaceX’s Starship Flight 11 Ends V2 Era with Flawless Indian Ocean Splashdown
- Karthik Naren
- Oct 15
- 4 min read
October 13, 2025 — Starbase, Texas: SpaceX achieved a major milestone with the 11th Starship test flight, marking the conclusion of the V2 development era. The integrated Ship 38 / Super Heavy B15.2 stack lifted off from Launch Complex Pad 1 (OLP1) at 6:23 p.m. CT (23:23:42 UTC) and splashed down precisely in the Indian Ocean after meeting every major mission objective.
According to SpaceX, “all key mission goals were achieved, generating crucial data for the next-generation Starship and Super Heavy systems.”
A Smooth Countdown and Powerful Liftoff
The countdown progressed nominally. At T-1:15:00, the Flight Director confirmed “GO” for propellant loading.
T-0:53:00 – Starship methane loading began.
T-0:46:10 – Liquid oxygen fueling followed.
T-0:41:15 – Booster methane load started.
T-0:35:52 – Booster LOX fueling initiated.
T-0:19:40 – Engine chill commenced.
T-0:03:20 / T-0:02:50 – Fueling complete for both stages.
At T-0:00:03, all 33 Raptor engines ignited, sending the 120-meter-tall rocket climbing over the Gulf of Mexico. After main-engine cutoff at T+2:37, hot staging began at T+2:39, with Ship 38’s six Raptors firing instantly for a clean separation.
SpaceX data indicated an initial suborbital trajectory of roughly -1 × 192 km, later raised to +52 km × 145 km following a mid-flight Raptor engine reignition.
Super Heavy’s Return: Engine Reignition and Hover Test
Following separation, Booster B15.2 executed a dual-phase return: a boostback burn starting T+2:49 and ending T+3:38, then a final landing burn beginning at T+6:20.For this flight, SpaceX tested a new 5-3-2 braking profile, firing five center engines, then three, then two for final control. All 13 engines reignited successfully during descent, including one idle unit from the earlier burn.
The booster performed a brief hover above its splash zone before engine cutoff and water contact at T+6:36 — validating a vectored-thrust control technique intended for future land landings.
Ship 38’s Suborbital Mission and Payload Demo
With the booster descending, Ship 38 continued its ascent burn to T+8:58, achieving nominal velocity and deploying eight Starlink mass simulators between T+18:28 – 25:33.The vehicle then performed a third Raptor engine reignition at T+37:49, demonstrating restart capability in microgravity — vital for future de-orbit, lunar, and interplanetary missions.
Atmospheric Reentry and Heat Shield Testing
As Ship 38 began reentry at T+47:43, engineers monitored performance of a deliberately modified heat shield — several tile sections were removed to test structural endurance. Despite rear-left thermal tile loss and a visible gas-flame emission, the spacecraft retained full aerodynamic control using its four flaps.
During the final sequence (T+1:05:58 – 1:06:25), Ship 38 executed the tilt maneuver, landing flip, and engine-assisted splashdown, maintaining stability throughout descent.
Performance Metrics and Engine Data
The Raptor 2 engines reached efficiency near theoretical methane-oxygen limits. SpaceX cites 280 tons of thrust nominally, though independent analyses measured ~267 tons at sea level (93.5%), aligning with prior flights.Throughout ascent and descent, no combustion oscillations or pressure drop anomalies occurred.
Cumulatively, the 11 Starship flights to date have used 429 Raptors, with 66 failures or partial faults logged. Two boosters — including B15.2 — have flown twice, confirming early reusability progress even without full recovery.
Evolution Over Nine Years
From early prototypes in 2016 to Flight 11, the Starship program’s trajectory has been iterative yet relentless. The V2 series delivered continuous improvements in propulsion stability, aerodynamic control, and thermal tolerance.Minor issues on Flight 11 included one auxiliary engine failing to ignite mid-burn and an unexplained tail flare with no structural effect.
SpaceX engineers called Flight 11 “the cleanest run so far,” validating nearly all system objectives for V2.
Ship 38 Block 2 Upgrades
Ship 38 introduced expanded propellant tanks (21 rings) and 300-ton capacity gain, offset by a smaller payload bay (3 rings) and redesigned nose cone.
Forward flaps slimmed and re-angled to reduce reentry plasma heating.
Thermal tiles now pin-mounted for durability and easier maintenance.
Vacuum-jacketed feed lines, new sensor/valve avionics, and redundant insulation layers enhance reliability.
These improvements anticipate longer missions and modular repairs for future reusable variants.
Pad 1 Phase-Out and Transition to Starship V3
Flight 11 was also the final launch from Pad 1 (OLP1), which has served since early subscale tests. SpaceX confirmed the pad will be deactivated as the company transitions to new V3-ready platforms in early 2026.
Version 3 vehicles will introduce:
lighter structural frames and optimized bulkheads,
next-generation thermal tiles,
simplified plumbing for rapid turnaround,
and redesigned flaps for reusability.
NASA, Artemis, and the Road Ahead
NASA continues monitoring Starship’s progress closely as it prepares for the Artemis III and IV lunar landings (2027–2028).Starship’s ability to perform engine reignitions, controlled splashdowns, and future in-orbit propellant transfers are critical steps toward becoming the lunar lander variant for crewed missions.
From Texas to the Indian Ocean — and Beyond
Starship Flight 11 represents SpaceX’s most complete test yet — the technical maturity of V2 achieved, and the stage set for V3.From ignition at Starbase, Texas, to a pinpoint Indian Ocean splashdown, the mission closed a chapter that began nine years ago.As SpaceX refines reusability and prepares for in-orbit refueling and lunar operations, Flight 11 will stand as the bridge between prototype and operational Starship.
Comments