SpaceX pulls off successful test flight of Starship mega rocket

Starship, the world's largest and most powerful rocket, lifted off on Monday (October 13) in a test flight that would prove its ability to return astronauts to the Moon.

The successful flight test, the 11th for the massive Starship rocket, marks a key moment in the development of what is currently the most powerful space launch vehicle ever built.

Starship V11 lifted off from SpaceX’s Starbase facility in Texas just after 6:25pm local time (2.25am UAE | 2325 GMT), according to a live video feed.

After the "Super Heavy" booster detached and splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico precisely as planned, the main Starship spacecraft ascended toward orbit, aiming for a splashdown in the Indian Ocean approximately an hour post-launch.

The test is also key to Musk's zealous vision to take humans to Mars.

The flight test comes amid concerns that Elon Musk has overpromised his company's ability to deliver NASA's lunar projects and fulfill his own Mars ambitions.

As the 403-foot rocket rapidly ascending into the sky, the test represents a critical step toward sustainable human space exploration on the Moon and Mars.

While Critics, including former NASA officials, doubt NASA will outpace China’s lunar landing ambitions, Elon Musk remains publicly optimistic, highlighting SpaceX’s continual progress.

Approximately an hour after liftoff, the spacecraft was set to splash down in the Indian Ocean. Onboard were eight mock satellites simulating Starlink deployments, mimicking previous missions.

This flight focused on improving Starship’s maneuvering capabilities, heat shield performance, and engine relighting during reentry as part of preparations for future missions aimed at the Moon and Mars.

SpaceX founder Elon Musk watched the launch from outside the control room, describing the experience as “much more visceral” than usual.

This test followed SpaceX’s successful flight in August — considered its best yet after several previous explosive failures — cementing progress but not eliminating doubts about whether the technology will meet NASA’s tight timelines.

NASA's Artemis programme relies heavily on Starship for its lunar ambitions, including a crewed Artemis III mission targeted for mid-2027.

This mission intends to land astronauts on the Moon, using a SpaceX-modified Starship as the lunar lander to ferry them from lunar orbit to the surface and back.

However, a NASA safety advisory panel has cautioned that the mission could be "years late," evidencing ongoing technical challenges.

Former NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine warned a Senate panel recently that unless significant changes occur, the United States is unlikely to beat China’s lunar timeline, with China aiming for a crewed Moon landing by 2030.

The geopolitical stakes add pressure to SpaceX’s efforts, particularly under the Trump administration, which has demanded faster progress from NASA.

Despite these competing pressures and the technical obstacles, SpaceX continues modifying launch infrastructure, including Cape Canaveral, to support future Starship flights.

The overall goal is to establish a reusable, powerful vehicle capable of revolutionising space travel, advancing human presence on the Moon, and eventually enabling Mars colonisation.