SpaceX has announced its sixth test flight for Starship, scheduled for November 18, following a historic fifth launch last month that brought the space company one step closer to reusable rocket technology. The upcoming flight will test additional capabilities of Starship and its Super Heavy booster as SpaceX continues pushing the limits of what is currently the world’s largest and most powerful rocket.
In October’s successful test, SpaceX made headlines when the Super Heavy booster returned to its launch site and was precisely caught by the “chopstick arms” and catch tower at the company’s Texas-based Starbase. The November 18 test seeks to build on this achievement by advancing both the ship and booster capabilities, SpaceX said in a statement.
Key objectives for the upcoming test flight include reigniting a ship’s Raptor engine while in space and assessing various reentry and descent features, with splashdown planned for the Indian Ocean. The test also aims to run “a suite of heatshield experiments” and maneuvering trials as Starship reenters Earth’s atmosphere.
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The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approved both the fifth and sixth test flights in October, allowing SpaceX to pursue these similar missions with regulatory clearance.
SpaceX is introducing significant upgrades to the Starship system in this flight. The Super Heavy booster will feature increased propulsion redundancy and improved software controls, alongside several hardware updates to enhance performance. Additionally, the company will evaluate new thermal protection materials on the booster and remove certain heat shield tiles to accommodate catch-enabling hardware for future missions.
The Starship’s upper stage is set to follow a suborbital trajectory similar to the previous test, with a targeted splashdown point in the Indian Ocean. SpaceX achieved its first successful splashdown with the Starship upper stage during its fourth test flight in June.
Looking forward, SpaceX has also outlined plans for further advancements in Starship’s design starting with the seventh flight. These changes include larger propellant tanks, redesigned flaps, and the latest thermal protection technology, as SpaceX works to transform Starship into a fully reusable rocket system.
