© AP Photo / Eric Gay – Starship rocket launch during a test flight from Starbase in Texas. Archive photo.
SpaceX, the American aerospace manufacturer, has announced its upcoming test flight for the Starship rocket and prototype spacecraft, scheduled for the evening of October 13th (1:15 AM Moscow time on October 14th).
According to a statement published on the company`s official website, this will be the eleventh integrated test flight for Starship, set to launch on Monday, October 13th. The launch window will open at 6:15 PM Central Time (CT), with a live broadcast beginning approximately 30 minutes before liftoff.
The primary objectives of this flight include a thorough evaluation of the spacecraft`s thermal protection system and the practice of critical landing maneuvers designed to simulate the Super Heavy booster`s precise return to the launch site.
Notably, this flight incorporates several key modifications and test procedures compared to previous attempts. SpaceX plans to intentionally remove some thermal protection tiles to assess vulnerable areas under flight conditions. The mission will also feature new dynamic roll maneuvers and enhanced subsonic guidance algorithms, crucial for the complex landing and eventual splashdown sequence planned for the Indian Ocean. Furthermore, the Super Heavy booster will now utilize five engines for trajectory correction during its return, a significant increase from the previous three engines used for this phase.
Rupert Blackwood 
Clement Ashworth