SpaceX Starship IFT-11 [Live: 13.10.25; 23:15 UTC]

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The Integrated Flight Test 11 (IFT-11) of SpaceX’s Starship program is scheduled for October 13, 2025, marking the last flight of the Version 2 (V2) Starship spacecraft. This test will launch from Pad 1 at Starbase, Texas, which may be decommissioned after the final V2 flight due to incompatible umbilical connection points with the upcoming booster and ship designs. A second launch pad is under construction to support future operations. Below is a detailed breakdown of the mission.

Mission Details

  • Launch Date: October 13, 2025
  • Launch Window: 75 minutes
  • Flight Trajectory: Similar to the last few launches, with the Starship spacecraft targeting a landing in the Indian Ocean (ideally near Australia) and the Super Heavy booster landing in the Gulf of Mexico, close to shore.
  • Booster Landing: The booster will not be caught by the launch tower but will perform a landing in the Gulf of Mexico. The test includes a new burn engine configuration
  • Payload: 8 Starlink simulators (~16,000 kg), designed to mimic the size and deployment mechanism of next-generation Starlink satellites.
  • Test Objectives:
    • Evaluate heat shield tiles during reentry, with some tiles intentionally removed for stress testing.
    • 24 flight-proven Raptor engines
    • New landing burn pattern for Super Heavy. Ignite 13 engines, then transition to 5 engines and then to 3 engines for landing.
    • Relight of a 1 vacuum Raptor.
    • New landing trajectory for Ship will include a subsonic trajectory manipulations.

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Sources:

Starship Program Timeline

The following table outlines the timeline of Starship’s Integrated Flight Tests, highlighting test dates, intervals, and vehicle versions:

TestDateDays ElapsedVersion BoosterVersion Ship
IFT-120.04.23-V1 – B7V1 – S24
IFT-218.11.23212V1 – B9V1 – S25
IFT-314.03.24117V1 – B10V1 – S28
IFT-406.06.2484V1 – B11V1 – S29
IFT-513.10.24129V1 – B12V1 – S30
IFT-619.11.2437V1 – B13V1 – S31
IFT-716.01.2558V2 – B14(1)V2 – S33
IFT-806.03.2549V2 – B15(1)V2 – S34
IFT-927.03.2582V2 – B14(2)V2 – S35
IFT-1024.08.25150V2 – B16V2 – S37
IFT-1113.10.20550V2 – B15(2)V2 – S38

An interesting observation:

Feel like I should point this out, the previous record for most flights of a SHLV in 365 days was 5 of the Saturn V.

Including Apollo 8 (Dec 68), 9 (Mar 69), 10 (May 69), 11 (Jul 69), 12 (Nov 69).

This is going to be starships 7th launch in 365 days.

Insane. https://t.co/w0SFonsL4K

— Luke Leisher (@luke_leisher_) October 9, 2025

Starship Specifications

The Starship system, comprising the spacecraft and Super Heavy booster, is designed for full reusability and large-scale payload delivery. Key specifications are as follows:

ComponentDetails
Full Stack
Height123 m
Diameter9 m
Payload Capacity (Reusable)100–150 t
Starship Spacecraft
Height52 m
Diameter9 m
Super Heavy Booster
Height71 m
Diameter9 m

Source: SpaceX Starship Overview

This mission represents a critical step in validating the V2 Starship design and advancing SpaceX’s goal of reusable, high-capacity spaceflight.


Live streams


More Information

Why won’t Starship have an abort system? Should it?!


Tim Dodd was lucky enough to get three guided tours around Starbase by Elon Musk:

Tour 2024:

Tour 2022:

Tour 2021:

Tim Dodd: How SpaceX Is Upgrading Raptor To Be The Ultimate Rocket Engine!
Elon Musk: The Road to Making Life Multiplanetary

Further information

StarshipGazer.com: Useful Starship links
Background information about previous SpaceX launches: Wikipedia
FAA: SpaceX Starship Super Heavy Project at the Boca Chica Launch Site
FAA: Licensed Launches

Starship OFT flight plan

Lex Fridman: Starship: The most powerful rocket ever made | Tim Dodd and Lex Fridman

SpaceX Starship Explosive Potential, and Big Bang Theory

Tim Dodd made a video contrasting Starship V1 and V2:
What's new with Flight 7's massively upgraded Starship?!?


Vote for my witness: @blue-witness


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