Starship's elementary era ends today with mega-rocket's 11th test flight

"Future flights of Starship will end with returns to Starbase, where the launch tower will try to catch the vehicle coming home from space, similar to the way SpaceX has shown it can recover the Super Heavy booster. A catch attempt with Starship is still at least a couple of flights away. In preparation for future returns to Starbase, the ship on Flight 11 will perform a "dynamic banking maneuver" and test subsonic guidance algorithms prior to its final engine burn to brake for splashdown."

"The current launch complex is expected to be modified to accommodate future Starship V3s, giving the company two pads to support a higher flight rate. NASA is counting on a higher flight rate for Starship next year to move closer to fulfilling SpaceX's contract to provide a human-rated lander to the agency's Artemis lunar program. SpaceX has contracts worth more than $4 billion to develop a derivative of Starship to land NASA astronauts on the Moon."

Flight 11 will practice a dynamic banking maneuver and subsonic guidance control before a final engine burn, aiming for a controlled splashdown in the Indian Ocean about 66 minutes after liftoff. SpaceX plans future Starship returns to Starbase with the launch tower attempting to catch the vehicle, following Super Heavy recovery techniques, though an actual catch attempt is still a few flights away. A new Version 3 Starship, planned for early 2026, will feature upgraded Raptor engines, larger tanks, and orbital refueling capability. Starship V3 will also open a second Starbase pad with a flame trench to support higher flight cadence needed for Artemis lunar lander development.

Read at Ars Technica