SpaceX Kicks Off 10th Starship Test Flight

(MENAFN) SpaceX launched the tenth test flight of its colossal Starship rocket on Tuesday evening, overcoming a series of weather and technical delays. The rocket lifted off from the company’s Starbase facility in Texas at approximately 6:30 p.m. Central Time (2330 GMT).

Shortly after launch, the Super Heavy booster performed a boostback burn, reversing its trajectory for a controlled splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico. Simultaneously, the Starship upper stage ignited its Raptor engines during the hot-staging separation sequence.

SpaceX confirmed the booster’s splashdown met target parameters in the ocean. Meanwhile, the upper stage completed its ascent burn before entering a planned coast phase.

Approximately 18 minutes into the mission, SpaceX executed a key payload deployment milestone, releasing Starlink simulator satellites on a suborbital path expected to burn up on reentry.

In orbit, Starship successfully reignited one of its Raptor engines before initiating a controlled descent, ultimately splashing down in the Indian Ocean after just over one hour of flight.

This test flight aimed to replicate previous mission goals, focusing on multiple reentry maneuvers intended to safely return the upper stage for recovery at the launch site, according to SpaceX.

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