Starship: Full Timeline

15 milestones · Page 1 of 1

1. Apr 16, 2021Contract awardConfirmed

   NASA selects Starship lunar lander for Artemis

   NASA selected SpaceX for a $2.89 billion contract to develop and demonstrate the HLS Starship lunar lander. This concerns the lunar lander variant, not a completed lunar landing.

2. Apr 20, 2023First flightConfirmed

   First integrated Starship and Super Heavy flight

   The complete two-stage system first flew on this date. Earlier Starhopper and upper-stage prototype flights are separate tests.

3. Nov 18, 2023MilestoneConfirmed

   Flight 2 reaches space after hot-stage separation

   The second integrated flight achieved stage separation and reached space. The booster broke apart and the upper stage was destroyed before completing its ascent burn.

4. Mar 14, 2024MilestoneConfirmed

   Flight 3 completes ascent burn and attempts reentry

   The upper stage completed its ascent burn and began a propellant-transfer demonstration. Both vehicles were lost; the planned in-space engine relight was not attempted.

5. Jun 6, 2024MilestoneConfirmed

   Flight 4 achieves controlled splashdowns

   Super Heavy completed a soft splashdown off Texas, and Starship survived reentry and landed in the Indian Ocean. This was a test flight, not an orbital payload mission.

6. Oct 13, 2024MilestoneConfirmed

   Flight 5 achieves first Super Heavy tower catch

   The launch tower caught Super Heavy on the first catch attempt. Starship completed controlled reentry and splashed down in the Indian Ocean.

7. Nov 19, 2024MilestoneConfirmed

   Flight 6 demonstrates an in-space Raptor relight

   Starship relit a Raptor in space and subsequently splashed down. The booster catch was aborted following tower health checks, and Super Heavy diverted to a soft splashdown.

8. Jan 16, 2025MilestoneConfirmed

   Flight 7 catches booster but loses upgraded upper stage

   The redesigned Starship upper stage was lost before completing ascent. Super Heavy returned for the program’s second successful tower catch.

9. Mar 6, 2025MilestoneConfirmed

   Flight 8 catches booster but loses upper stage

   Super Heavy was caught for the third time. Starship lost engines and attitude control during ascent, with final contact about nine and a half minutes after launch.

10. May 27, 2025MilestoneConfirmed

    Flight 9 first reuses a Super Heavy booster

    The reused booster completed ascent but was lost during its landing burn. Starship reached its coast phase, but failed to deploy its simulator payloads and was lost before controlled reentry.

11. Aug 26, 2025MilestoneConfirmed

    Flight 10 demonstrates payload deployment and splashdowns

    Starship released eight Starlink simulators on a suborbital trajectory and relit a Raptor in space. Both vehicles completed their planned water landings.

12. Oct 13, 2025MilestoneConfirmed

    Flight 11 concludes second-generation Starship campaign

    The final flight of second-generation Starship deployed eight simulators, relit a Raptor in space and completed a soft splashdown. Super Heavy also splashed down.

13. May 22, 2026MilestoneConfirmed

    Flight 12 introduces V3 vehicles and Raptor 3

    The first V3 flight launched from Pad 2, deploying simulators and two modified satellites on a suborbital trajectory. Super Heavy had a hard splashdown, while Starship completed reentry and splashdown.

14. Jul 24, 2026MilestoneConfirmed

    Flight 13 deploys Starlink V3 satellites on a test trajectory

    Twenty Starlink V3 satellites were deployed on a trajectory expected to reenter shortly afterward. Starship completed a soft splashdown; Super Heavy experienced a hard splashdown.

15. Sep 28, 2026MilestoneConfirmed

    Flight 14 achieves first orbit and orbital payload delivery

    Starship entered orbit and deployed 26 Starlink V3 satellites. After shortening its orbital coast because of an ascent engine issue, it deorbited and splashed down in the northern Pacific.