SpaceX rolls out Super Heavy booster to launch pad for Starship Flight 11
SpaceX has moved its massive Super Heavy booster to the launch pad at Starbase in South Texas ahead of the upcoming Starship Flight 11 test launch, scheduled for Monday, October 13, at 7:15 p.m. EDT (2315 GMT).
SpaceX shared photos on X on Wednesday, October 8, showing the Super Heavy booster being positioned on the orbital launch mount. This rollout marks a major step in preparations for the 11th test flight of Starship, the most powerful rocket ever built.
Standing approximately 400 feet (121 metres) tall, Starship is made up of two key stages — the Super Heavy first stage and the Starship upper stage, also called Ship. Both stages are powered by SpaceX’s Raptor engines, with 33 engines on Super Heavy and six on Ship. The rocket is designed to be fully and quickly reusable, aiming to revolutionise space travel.
One of the images released highlights the base of the Super Heavy booster, showing its complex array of Raptor engines as it is lowered onto the launch mount.
The plan for Flight 11 closely follows the successful mission of Flight 10, which launched on August 26. After liftoff, Super Heavy will perform a controlled splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico. This will mark the second reentry for this particular booster, which was previously used in Flight 8 in March. Unlike that mission, which included a booster catch using the “chopstick” arms on the launch tower, Flight 11 will not involve a catch attempt.
The Starship upper stage will carry eight payloads into orbit. These are dummy versions of SpaceX’s Starlink internet satellites. After completing its mission, Ship will end the flight with a splashdown in the Indian Ocean.
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