Starship IFT-2

Starship Flight Test 2, conducted on November 18, 2023, was a major milestone in the company’s effort to develop a fully reusable launch system. The mission launched from Starbase in Boca Chica, Texas, using the Super Heavy Booster 9 and Ship 25. The flight achieved several key objectives compared to the first test: all 33 Raptor engines on the booster ignited successfully, and the vehicle reached stage separation for the first time using a hot-staging ring, where the upper stage’s engines ignited before full booster shutdown. Although both stages were ultimately lost the booster exploded shortly after separation, and the ship was destroyed during reentry around eight minutes into flight the test was widely considered a success in terms of data collection and system validation. Engineers gathered valuable telemetry on engine performance, structural loads, and hot-staging dynamics, informing improvements for future flights. The test marked significant progress toward SpaceX’s long-term goal of making Starship a fully reusable system for missions to orbit, the Moon, and eventually Mars.

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