SpaceX is preparing for the eleventh test flight of its colossal Starship megarocket, with launch operations set for Monday evening, October 13.
The Starship Flight 11 test is poised for launch on Monday, October 13, from SpaceX’s Starbase facility in South Texas. A 75-minute launch window commences at 7:15 p.m. EDT (2315 GMT), corresponding to 6:15 p.m. local Texas time.
Starship’s eleventh flight, slated for 2025, will mark the fifth launch of the year for SpaceX’s ambitious rocket system. This mission aims to capitalize on the recent success of Flight 10, which on August 26, achieved all its major objectives. This stands in contrast to earlier 2025 attempts—Flights 7, 8, and 9—each of which prematurely lost the Starship upper stage.
Envisioned by SpaceX as the cornerstone for establishing a human presence on Mars, and selected by NASA as the initial crewed lander for its Artemis lunar exploration program, the 400-foot-tall (121-meter-tall) Starship currently holds the title of the world’s largest and most powerful rocket. However, it remains firmly within its testing phase, and Monday’s planned flight is crucial for advancing its development toward completion.
SpaceX is targeting Monday, October 13, for the Starship Flight 11 mission. Liftoff is primarily scheduled for 7:15 p.m. EDT (2315 GMT). However, the company has secured a 75-minute launch window, allowing for a potential flight anytime between 7:15 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. EDT (2315 to 0030 GMT).
SpaceX has established Tuesday (Oct. 14) and Wednesday (Oct. 15) as backup launch windows for Starship Flight 11. These contingency dates, noted in local road closure alerts around Starbase, are in place should the primary launch attempt on Monday be postponed.
Related: Read our SpaceX Starship and Super Heavy guide for a detailed look
Several avenues will offer live coverage of SpaceX’s Starship Flight 11 test launch.
SpaceX is set to broadcast the Starship liftoff live across multiple platforms. Viewers can tune into the company’s X account, the dedicated Starship Flight 11 mission page, and the X TV app for coverage. The live stream is scheduled to commence approximately 30 minutes prior to launch, which, assuming SpaceX targets the start of Monday’s launch window, would be 6:45 p.m. EDT (2245 GMT).
Space.com is poised to deliver live coverage of the SpaceX Flight 11 mission. The stream will be readily available for viewers on the Space.com website, encompassing both its main homepage and dedicated mission pages, alongside its official YouTube channel.
For an extended broadcast, viewers can tune into NASASpaceflight’s YouTube webcast. This livestream is slated to commence around 4:15 p.m. EDT (2015 GMT) and will offer live commentary throughout the critical “go for launch” polling and other significant pre-flight preparations.
Those located near the launch site may attend SpaceX’s Starship Flight 11 in person. However, SpaceX does not provide an official viewing area for the public or media, requiring individuals to identify their own observation points.
For an optimal vantage point to witness Starbase’s orbital launch mount, the Cameron County Amphitheater at Isla Blanca Park on South Padre Island offers clear, across-the-water perspectives. Alternatively, observers can find suitable locations along the shoreline of nearby Port Isabel.
Anticipate significant traffic congestion in the vicinity ahead of a Starship launch. Spectators are strongly advised to reach their chosen viewing locations well in advance, ideally several hours before the scheduled event, to ensure a timely arrival and secure a spot.
Starship Flight 11 is anticipated to last just over an hour, assuming a successful trajectory. The mission profile largely mirrors that of Flight 10, with both the Super Heavy booster and the Starship upper stage slated for controlled splashdowns in the ocean. A notable difference for this flight is the absence of a “chopsticks” catch attempt for the Super Heavy booster by the Starbase launch tower.
SpaceX has outlined the objectives for its upcoming Starship flight, indicating the mission will build upon the achievements of its tenth flight test. The company’s mission overview highlights several key experiments: gathering critical data for the next-generation Super Heavy booster, rigorously stress-testing Starship’s heat shield, and demonstrating maneuvers that will replicate the upper stage’s final approach for a future return to its launch site.
The Flight 11 Super Heavy booster is a seasoned launcher, having previously completed Flight 8 on March 6. That mission culminated in a successful return to Starbase, where it executed a precise “chopsticks catch.” SpaceX confirms that 24 of its 33 Raptor engines are veterans of that earlier flight.
Super Heavy’s immediate objective is to rigorously test an innovative landing-burn strategy. This crucial development is designed for the larger, next-generation Starship, anticipated to debut early next year. Concurrently, Flight 11 will mark the final launch for the current “Version 2” iteration of Starship.
SpaceX has detailed the operational plan for its Super Heavy booster, stating it will ignite 13 engines to begin the landing burn. Following this initial phase, the booster is configured to transition to a five-engine setup for its divert maneuver, as outlined in the mission description.
The V3 Super Heavy booster is slated for a significant upgrade in its flight path fine-tuning phase, transitioning from a three-engine configuration to five. This change, according to the company, is designed to bolster redundancy and safeguard against unforeseen engine shutdowns. Subsequently, the booster will activate its three core engines for the final segment of the landing burn, performing a full hover just above the ocean surface. The sequence will conclude with engine shutdown and a controlled descent into the Gulf of America.
On its eleventh flight, the Ship upper stage is projected to achieve a significantly greater range and longer duration than its Super Heavy booster. Emulating Flight 10, the Ship will deploy eight replica Starlink broadband satellites into suborbital space. This critical deployment sequence is scheduled to commence 18.5 minutes after liftoff, unfolding over a seven-minute window.
A significant moment in the mission will occur approximately 38 minutes into the flight, as the spacecraft briefly reignites one of its six Raptor engines while in space. This in-orbit engine restart is a crucial test, validating a key operational capability essential for a vehicle designed for future expeditions to the Moon and Mars.
Flight 11 is set to undertake a critical assessment of the Ship’s heat shield and various reentry systems. The mission’s primary goal is to gather vital data, which will be instrumental in the future development of “chopstick” recovery techniques for the upper stage.
SpaceX deliberately removed heat shield tiles from its Starship vehicle to conduct a high-stress reentry test on its most vulnerable areas, according to the company’s mission description. These strategic removals specifically target sections where tiles are bonded directly to the vehicle without the protection of a backup ablative layer.
During Flight 11, Starship’s final trajectory phase will incorporate a dynamic banking maneuver. This maneuver is critical for simulating future return flight paths to Starbase and will test subsonic guidance algorithms, all before a scheduled landing burn and splashdown in the Indian Ocean.
Less than 48 minutes after its launch, the vessel is projected to reenter Earth’s atmosphere. Its subsequent splashdown is anticipated approximately 18 minutes later in the waters off the coast of Western Australia.
Texas’ Cameron County has officially set two backup launch days for SpaceX’s Flight 11, designating Tuesday, October 14, and Wednesday, October 15, as alternative windows. This schedule was detailed in a public notice concerning beach and road closures.
The launch windows for both Tuesday and Wednesday are anticipated to be identical, though final confirmation from SpaceX remains pending.
