This topic discusses the forthcoming SpaceX eleventh flight test of the integrated Starship (#38) and Super Heavy booster (#15-2), currently scheduled for launch no earlier than 2025-10-13 23:15 UTC with a 90 minute launch window. This is the final Block 2 flight. The planned flight, if successful, will launch the craft on a near-orbital trajectory, with the first stage booster performing a boost back burn and hard water landing in the Gulf of America, and the upper stage Starship accelerating to a velocity slightly less than orbital speed, causing it to re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere over the Indian Ocean.
SpaceX continues to attempt to address Starship RUD and RUD Part Deux and RUD Part Troix with further heat shielding improvements. SpaceX again does not want to risk damaging Starbase with a problem on booster return. Particularly as this is the second re-use of a booster with 24 of 33 engines also being re-flown. But this also lets them attempt a five-engine divert to simulate the intended Block 3 use.