SpaceX’s Second-Gen Starship Signs Off With a Near-Perfect Test Flight

SpaceX successfully completed the final test flight of its second-generation Starship (V2) rocket, marking a significant milestone before transitioning to the next iteration, Version 3, expected next year. The 404-foot-tall stainless steel rocket launched from South Texas, powered by 33 methane-fueled Raptor engines generating 16.7 million pounds of thrust, and flew halfway around the world to the Indian Ocean. This flight was SpaceX’s most successful Starship test to date, achieving all mission objectives including a controlled splashdown of the Super Heavy booster in the Gulf of Mexico, despite one engine failure during descent that did not affect the overall mission. This 11th full-scale Starship flight was the fifth and final for the V2 design, which had faced multiple setbacks earlier in the year, including propulsion issues, fuel leaks, and a test stand explosion. However, improvements made after an August test flight—such as the introduction of a “crunch wrap” material to seal