From October 27 to 29, 2025, SpaceX conducted a critical operational test of its massive Starship vehicle. This test is an important step in the company’s larger mission to eventually ship humans and cargo to Mars. The pilot ran in San Francisco during 2023. It was a historic day both for the crews and families involved and for the continued evolution of this exciting new space program.
The Starship test vehicle, standing at an impressive 403 feet tall, successfully lifted off from SpaceX’s launch facility, known as Starbase, at 7:30 PM ET. The launch climbed rapidly skyward on the back of 33 methane-fueled Raptor engines. These engines provided the critical thrust necessary for that all-important first stage of flight. Just under three minutes into the flight, these engines were supposed to separate smoothly.
In a first for Starship flights, the vehicle deployed its payload door prior to deploying eight Starlink mass-similar satellites. This successful operation proved what the craft was capable of doing beyond just launching, to deploying cutting-edge, next-generation satellite technology. Furthermore, the upper stage of Starship made a successful engine re-light in space, which continued confirming its operational design.
After completing its objectives, the upper stage of Starship splashed down in the Indian Ocean without losing communication with SpaceX engineers throughout the flight. The nearly 232-foot-tall booster successfully landed in the Gulf of Mexico. This capped off a series of equally impressive moves throughout the test.
Test went great, but that was after two scrubs earlier in the week. Even still, doubts remain as to whether or not Starship is really ready for some of the upcoming missions. There is uncertainty on the vehicle’s capacity to land humans safely on the Moon by no later than mid-2027. Such is the confusion, even with NASA’s own Artemis program. Additionally, SpaceX must contend with how quickly it can deploy its next-generation, larger Starlink satellites.
