Starship Flight 11 Launch Countdown: Watch Window & Timeline

Overview: Starship Flight 11 Targets the 75-Minute Launch Window

SpaceX is preparing Starship Flight 11 for liftoff from the Starbase site in South Texas. The window opens at 7:15 p.m. EDT (23:15 GMT) and runs for 75 minutes, giving mission teams flexibility if weather or technical factors require adjustments. This flight marks the fifth Starship mission aimed at 2025 goals and continues SpaceX’s iterative testing approach on the vehicle’s performance, reusability, and landing capabilities over oceanic waters.

Flight 11 is designed to build on the achievements of Flight 10, focusing on validating a landing profile for both stages over the ocean. After earlier attempts (Flights 7, 8, and 9) encountered challenges with booster recovery or upper-stage behavior, Flight 11 emphasizes a refined approach to landing and data collection for future operational readiness.

What SpaceX Aims to Demonstrate

The Starship program envisions Mars colonization and serves as NASA’s selected crewed lander for the Artemis Moon initiative. Flight 11 features a 400-foot-tall (121-meter) vehicle—Starship paired with the Super Heavy booster—testing part of the system as it advances toward more routine launches. The mission will focus on:

Testing a fresh landing-burn method for the next-generation Starship, anticipated for 2026 deployments (Version 3/“V3” iterations).
Ocean-based landings for both the Super Heavy booster and the Starship upper stage, validating guidance, control, and recovery techniques.
Assessment of heat shield performance and re-entry dynamics through planned edge-case testing and a future re-entry sequence.

Notably, Flight 11 represents the final introduction of the current Starship Version 2 in the ongoing test program, with data feeding the design choices for subsequent configurations and landing strategies.

Flight 11 Timeline: Key Milestones

Launch day will unfold with a precise schedule, though actual liftoff can shift within the 75-minute window. A condensed view of the pre-launch and in-flight milestones follows:

Pre-launch (T-minus): Polling begins for fueling and system readiness; Ship and Super Heavy loaders start as scheduled.
Liftoff window (T-0 to T+0:03): Engine chilldowns, ignition sequence, and liftoff if conditions permit.
Max Q (T+~1:02): Vehicle passes maximum dynamic pressure in ascent.
Stage events: Hot-staging separates Ship from the Super Heavy; Ship ignition follows shortly after.
Booster and Ship maneuvers: Boostback/burn sequences for the booster, followed by Starship engine relight and descent checks.
Reentry and landing: Starship reentry dynamics tested, culminating in a planned splashdown in the Indian Ocean; booster lands in the ocean, after a controlled burn sequence for the Super Heavy portion.
Payload and avionics: An array of dummy payload tests and suborbital demonstrations, including a brief in-orbit engine test to simulate future lunar/Mars mission profiles.

Hours after liftoff, SpaceX anticipates a reentry profile that stress-tests heat shields and subsonic guidance algorithms in preparation for future full-scale missions.

How to Watch: Live Streams and In-Person Viewing

For those unable to attend in person, SpaceX will offer multiple viewing options. The company plans to stream live on its X platform, the Starship Flight 11 mission page, and via the X TV app, starting roughly 30 minutes before liftoff (around 6:45 p.m. EDT / 2245 GMT).

Additional coverage will come from spacenews outlets: Space.com will simulcast on its homepage and YouTube channel; NASASpaceflight will provide an expanded webcast beginning earlier in the day (4:15 p.m. EDT) with commentary and preflight updates.

In Cameron County, South Texas, enthusiasts can watch from Cameron County Amphitheater in Isla Blanca Park on South Padre Island or along the Port Isabel shoreline for clear views of Starbase’s launch. Traffic can be heavy, so planning ahead is advised.

Important Notes and What’s Next

Backups are in place—if Monday schedules are disrupted, the next launch windows are Tuesday, Oct. 14, or Wednesday, Oct. 15. Flight 11’s success is not only a milestone for the 2025 mission cadence but a data-rich step toward refining Starship’s end-to-end performance, from liftoff through ocean splashdown and into post-flight analysis.

As SpaceX pushes toward testing the upper-stage return and heat shield resilience, observers should expect ongoing updates on milestone timings and potential adjustments based on weather, hardware status, and safety protocols. The coming weeks will continue to test the boundaries of Starship’s design, while fans anticipate further demonstrations that will shape the roadmap toward future lunar and Mars missions.