Overview

• SpaceX launched the uncrewed Starship from Starbase, Texas, on October 13 and reused a Super Heavy booster from flight 8 that touched down in the Gulf of Mexico minutes after liftoff using a new landing-burn engine sequence.
• The upper stage released eight Starlink simulator payloads and attempted in-space engine reignitions before a planned Indian Ocean splashdown, but SpaceX reported loss of contact shortly beforehand and said debris fell in designated zones.
• Engineers deliberately removed portions of thermal-protection tiles on the upper stage to assess heat-shield behavior in vulnerable areas during reentry.
• This flight is expected to be the last using the current vehicle configuration as SpaceX prepares a next-generation prototype geared toward future lunar and Mars roles, according to company updates reported by Reuters and G1.
• Independent experts and former NASA officials caution that significant technical hurdles remain and warn that Moon and Mars timelines tied to Starship, including Artemis-related goals, are likely to slip.