SpaceX’s Starship Rocket Nails 10th Test Flight
(MENAFN) SpaceX’s Starship rocket, engineered as a fully reusable spacecraft to ferry crews and cargo to Earth orbit, the Moon, Mars, and beyond, marked a milestone Tuesday with its 10th test flight, successfully achieving controlled splashdowns of both its booster and upper stage, the company announced.
“Starship’s tenth flight test lifted off on August 26, 2025, at 6:30 p.m. CT from Starbase, Texas, taking a significant step forward in developing the world’s first fully reusable launch vehicle. Every major objective was met, providing critical data to inform designs of the next generation Starship and Super Heavy,” SpaceX said in an official statement.
The launch began with the Super Heavy booster igniting all 33 Raptor engines to power its ascent over the Gulf of Mexico. Following a successful climb, the vehicle performed a hot-staging maneuver, with the upper stage lighting six Raptor engines to separate from the booster and continue its journey into space.
SpaceX also detailed the booster’s intentional engine switch during final descent to test backup systems before engine shutdown and water landing. Meanwhile, the upper stage demonstrated a payload operation by deploying eight mock Starlink satellites and achieved a critical engine restart in orbit.
“The first in-space objective was then completed, with eight Starlink simulators deployed in the first successful payload demonstration from Starship. The vehicle then completed the second ever in-space relight of a Raptor engine, demonstrating a key capability for future deorbit burns,” the company stated.
As Starship reentered Earth’s atmosphere, the spacecraft’s heatshield and maneuvering fins endured intense conditions to gather essential data. Utilizing four control flaps, the vehicle targeted its splashdown in the Indian Ocean, executed a landing flip, and completed the test with a landing burn and smooth splashdown.
“Over the course of a flight test campaign, success will continue to be measured by what we are able to learn, and Starship’s tenth flight test provided valuable data by stressing the limits of vehicle capabilities and providing maximum excitement along the way,” SpaceX concluded.
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