Overview

• The rocket lifted off from Texas shortly after 6:30 p.m. local time on Tuesday for its tenth test flight.
• The Super Heavy first stage executed recovery experiments and then splashed down as planned in the Gulf of Mexico.
• The upper stage reached space, deployed satellite simulators, survived reentry, and splashed down in the Indian Ocean after losing some heat‑shield tiles and sustaining material damage.
• SpaceX said some tiles were intentionally removed to stress‑test the vehicle, and reporting noted the release of eight test payloads and a successful in‑orbit engine relight.
• The milestone follows several in‑flight and ground explosions earlier this year and advances Starship’s role in NASA’s Artemis plans and Elon Musk’s Mars ambitions, which he projects could begin as early as 2026.