Muscat: SpaceX today launched the eleventh flight of its Starship spacecraft from its Starbase facility in Texas, on a test mission aimed at evaluating the reusable system’s capability to launch satellites and, in the future, transport humans to the Moon and Mars.

According to Oman News Agency, the Starship vehicle, consisting of the upper stage mounted atop a Super Heavy booster, lifted off at around 23:23 GMT. After stage separation, the booster returned for a controlled splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico about ten minutes after liftoff, while the upper stage continued on its planned suborbital path before splashing down in the Indian Ocean.

This test flight focused on improving re-entry performance and heat shield durability, as well as validating in-space engine restart capabilities ahead of future operational missions.

The Starship spacecraft is part of NASA’s Artemis program and is scheduled to land astronauts on the Moon by 2027. The rocket is also expected to play a major role in launching larger Sta
rlink satellites, which support SpaceX’s goal of expanding global broadband internet coverage and advancing preparations for future missions to Mars.