SpaceX Starship flight number 10 utilizes A significantly evolved
vehicle stack compared to its predecessors.
The complete stack measures 124.4 metres in height, a 3.1
metre increase over Block 1 configurations with enlarged
propellant capacity and structural modifications of the
Block 2 design. The total propellant load
reaching 5150 metric tons distributed between the boosters
3650 ton capacity and the ship's 1500 ton load.
The selection of Ship 36 and Booster 16 for this mission is a
calculated engineering decision. Ship 36 incorporates the full
suite of Block 2 improvements, while Booster 16 benefits from
manufacturing refinements developed through the production
of its predecessors. Both vehicles have undergone
comprehensive ground testing with Booster 16 completing a
full duration 33 engine static fire test on June 6th
demonstrating 7590 tons force of thrust for 8 seconds, a critical
validation of the integrated propulsion system.
The path to Flight 10's launch readiness has involved extensive
component and integrated systems testing.
Ship 36's single engine static fire test on June 16th validated
the redesigned propellant feed systems and engine mounting
interfaces. These tests conducted at * bases
masses test site have provided critical data on the Block 2
designed structural response to thrust loads and acoustic
environments. Beyond propulsion testing, both
vehicles have undergone comprehensive avionics
validation, thermal protection system inspection and structural
proof testing. The enhanced preflight campaign
reflects lessons learned from Flight 9 where post flight
analysis revealed that certain failure modes could have been
detected through more comprehensive ground testing
protocols. The Thermal Protection system
TPS on Ship 36 is perhaps the most visible evolution in Block
2 technology. The system comprises
approximately 18,000 hexagonal ceramic tiles, each measuring a
9.5 inches across with a thickness of 0.033 meters.
This standardised geometry allows for efficient
manufacturing and installation while providing comprehensive
coverage of the vehicle's heat exposed surfaces.
The tile composition itself has evolved significantly from
earlier iterations. The current design utilizes a
silica based ceramic substrate enhanced with toughened unit
piece fibrous insulation coating.
This combination provides exceptional thermal resistance
with tiles capable of withstanding sustained
temperatures up to 1377°C or 2510°F.
The addition of molybdenum disilicide coating on the outer
surface enhances oxidation resistance and provides the
characteristic appearance of the heat shield.
Perhaps the most critical improvement in Flight 10's TPS
is the transition from adhesive bonding to mechanical fastening
systems. This fundamental change
addresses the tile shedding issues observed in previous
flights where adhesive degradation under thermal
cycling and acoustic loads led to tile loss during ascent and
re entry phases. The mechanical attachment system
employs a three-point mounting configuration with spring loaded
pins that accommodate thermal expansion while maintaining
positive retention. Each tile incorporates A backing
structure that distributes loads across the vehicle's skin,
preventing stress concentrations that could lead to structural
failure. This design allows for
individual tile replacement without affecting adjacent
tiles, which is a critical maintenance consideration for
rapid reusability. Beneath the primary tile layer,
Flight 10 incorporates a based secondary thermal barrier.
This felt like material, provides additional insulation
and serves as a backup protection layer should primary
tiles fail. The materials ability to char
and ablate under extreme heating provides A sacrificial
protective mechanism, buying critical time for vehicle
survival during off nominal re entry condition.
SpaceX has also integrated experimental metal heat tiles in
select locations on chip 36. These aluminium based tiles,
while heavier than their ceramic counterparts, offer potential
advantages in durability and thermal conductivity management.
Their inclusion on Flight 10 is a controlled experiment in
alternative TPS technologies that could inform future design
iterations. The Block 2 design implements
significant changes to aerodynamic control surfaces
that directly impact thermal protection requirements.
The forward flaps have been repositioned more Leeward and
reduced in size, decreasing their exposure to peak heating
during re entry. This modification, while
requiring adjustments to flight control algorithms,
substantially reduces the thermal load on these critical
control surfaces. The aft flaps retain their
original sizing but benefit from improved hinge designs that
better manage thermal expansion and provide enhanced sealing
against hot gas ingestion. These design changes reflect A
holistic approach to thermal management that considers not
just surface heating, but also the complex interactions between
vehicle geometry and re entry plasma dynamics.
Flight 10's propulsion system centres on the proven Raptor 2
engine architecture, with 33 engines powering booster 16 and
6 engines, 3 sea level and three vacuum optimized variants on
Ship 36. Each sea level Raptor 2
generates 230 metric tons force at sea level conditions, while
the vacuum variants produced 258 tons force, achieving this
performance with a mass of just 1630 kilograms, which is a 21%
reduction from the original Raptor design.
The engines operate at a chamber pressure of 300 bars, and this
extreme operating condition enables specific impulse values
of approximately 350 seconds at sea level and 380 seconds for
vacuum operation, representing near theoretical performance for
the Methylox propellant combination.
A notable milestone for Flight 10 is the inclusion of Spacex's
first refurbished Raptor engine. One of Booster 16's engines
previously flew on Flight 5's successful booster catch
mission. This refurbished engine
underwent comprehensive inspection and testing,
including hot fire validation before integration into the
Flight 10 vehicle. The engine reuse program has
revealed valuable insights into wear patterns and degradation
mechanisms post flight. Analysis of recovered engines
has shown that primary wear occurs in the turbo pump
assemblies and combustion chamber throat regions, leading
to targeted improvements in materials and coatings for these
high stress components. Flight 10 incorporates
substantial improvements in propellant management systems,
directly addressing the failures observed in Flight 9.
The implementation of vacuum jacketed feed lines is a 25%
reduction in cryogenic boil off rates, extending the vehicle's
orbital loiter capability and improving propellant
availability for landing burns. The header tank system, critical
for landing propellant supply, has been completely redesigned
for Block 2. The new configuration features
improved slosh baffles, enhanced pressurisation systems and
redundant level sensors that provide real time propellant
quantity data to the flight computers.
These improvements ensure consistent propellant delivery
during the dynamic maneuvering required for landing operations.
The Engine Management System for Flight 10 features enhanced
startup reliability software specifically developed for
landing burn conditions. This software accounts for the
unique challenges of relighting engines in a low gravity,
potentially propellant depleted environment.
The system implements predictive algorithms that adjust ignition
timing and propellant flow rates based on real time sensor data,
improving the probability of successful engine restart.
The gimbal control system maintains the proven 15° range
of motion, but incorporates higher precision actuators and
improved position feedback sensors.
These enhancements enable more precise thrust vector control,
critical for maintaining vehicle stability during the complex
flip maneuver and landing burn sequence.
The Block 2 avionics architecture is a comprehensive
redesign of Starship's nervous system.
The new flight computers provide substantially more processing
power than their predecessors, enabling complex mission
profiles and real time trajectory optimization.
The system operates on a triple redundant architecture with
automatic failover capabilities, ensuring continued operation
even with multiple component failures.
The main flight computers operate at a 10 Hertz update
rate for primary control loops, with critical subsystems running
at up to 50 Hertz. This high frequency operation
enables precise control during dynamic flight phases and
provides the computational headroom necessary for advanced
guidance algorithms. Flight 10S communication
architecture integrates Starlink, GNSS, and traditional
RF systems into unified antenna arrays.
This integration reduces the vehicle's antenna farm
complexity while providing multiple independent
communication paths. The Starlink integration is
particularly significant, offering high bandwidth
telemetry downlink capabilities that enable real time streaming
of comprehensive vehicle health data.
The navigation system combines inertial measurement units with
* trackers and GNSS receivers to provide precise position and
attitude to termination. The Star Tracker integration is
a new capability for Starship, enabling accurate attitude
determination during coast phases when GNSS signals may be
unavailable or unreliable. The vehicle's electrical system
centres on a 2.7 MW distributed power architecture.
This system must manage the demands of 24 high voltage
actuators, comprehensive sensor suites and communications
systems while maintaining sufficient reserves for
contingency operations. The power system employs smart
battery management with integrated health monitoring and
predictive failure detection capabilities.
Solar panel deployment mechanisms have been tested on
Ship 36, though they will not be activated during Flight 10.
These panels, when operational on future flights, will provide
supplementary power for extended missions and reduce battery
depth of discharge during coast faces.
Flight 10 carries over 30 cameras distributed across both
vehicles, providing comprehensive visual coverage of
all critical events. These cameras serve multiple
purposes, engineering, data collection, public outreach, and
real time anomaly detection. The video processing system can
automatically flag unusual events for priority downlink,
ensuring critical data preservation even in
communication constrained scenarios.
Beyond cameras, the vehicle incorporates hundreds of
pressure, temperature, strain and acceleration sensors.
The data management system must process, prioritise and store
this information while selecting critical subsets for real time
downlink. This hierarchical data
management approach ensures that mission critical information
receives priority while preserving comprehensive data
sets for post flight analysis. Flight 10 will follow a
trajectory similar to its predecessors, launching from
Starbase's orbital launch mount on a bearing that takes it over
the Gulf of Mexico. The initial ascent phase will
stress the integrated stack to its maximum aerodynamic loads,
providing critical data on the Block 2 structural
modifications. The hot staging manoeuvre, where
Ship 36 ignites its engines before separation from Booster
16, is one of the most dynamic events in the flight profile.
The Block 2 design incorporates reinforced staging interfaces
and improved venting systems to manage the extreme thermal and
acoustic environments during this critical phase.
Following separation, Booster 16 will execute a complex return
profile aimed at demonstrating the tower catch capability.
The booster must perform a boost back burn to reverse its
trajectory, followed by atmospheric entry and a precise
landing burn that positions it between the tower's chopstick
arms. The catch attempt on a booster's
maiden flight is an aggressive approach to vehicle validation,
and success would mark only the second successful tower catch
and the first for a Block 2 booster configuration.
During the coast phase, Ship 36 will attempt several critical
demonstrations. The payload Bay doors must open
successfully to deploy 8 Starlink satellite simulators, A
capability that failed on Flight 9 due to actuator malfunctions.
These simulators, while non functional, replicate the mass
and deployment characteristics of operational Starlink 5 on
three satellites. The Coast phase also provides
the opportunity for the mission's most critical
objective in space, Raptor Engine Relight.
This capability is essential for orbital operations as it enables
orbit adjustments, deorbit burns and eventual interplanetary
transfers. The Relight attempt will test
the engines ability to start in a zero gravity environment with
potentially degraded propellant conditions.
The RE entry phase will test the full suite of Block 2
improvements under the most demanding conditions.
Ship 36 must maintain attitude control while managing the
extreme thermal loads of atmospheric interface.
The repositioned forward flaps and enhanced heat shield are
designed to provide improved control authority while reducing
thermal stress on critical components.
The flight will conclude with a targeted splashdown in the
Indian Ocean approximately 65 minutes after launch.
While recovery is not planned for this mission, the controlled
nature of the re entry and splashdown provides valuable
data on vehicle condition and performance throughout the
flight envelope. SpaceX has established 5
critical success criteria for Flight 10, each addressing
specific technical capabilities required for operational status
in Space Engine Relight. Successful restart of at least
one Raptor engine during the coast phase, demonstrating the
capability for orbital maneuvering and deorbit burns.
Payload deployment. Successful opening of payload
Bay doors and deployment of all 8 Starlink simulators.
Validating the mechanical systems required for operational
satellite delivery. Attitude control Maintenance
Sustained vehicle control throughout all flight phases,
particularly during coast and re entry.
Addressing Flight 9's loss of control failure.
Heat shield performance Successful protection of the
vehicle through peak heating. Validating the Block 2 thermal
protection system improvements. Booster recovery Successful
catch of Booster 16 by the launch tower.
Demonstrating rapid reusability capability for the Super Heavy
first stage. Beyond the primary objectives,
SpaceX will evaluate numerous secondary metrics that inform
future design iterations. Propellant system integrity.
Measurement of a leak rates and pressure maintenance throughout
the mission, particularly during coast phase.
Structural response evaluation of vehicle structural dynamics
under flight loads. Validating design margins and
identifying areas for mass reduction.
Avionics performance assessment of the new flight.
Computer architecture's performance under actual flight
conditions. Thermal Management Detailed
analysis of heat flux distribution and thermal
protection system response across the vehicle surface.
Flight 9th May 27th. Mission achieved several
important milestones while revealing critical design
vulnerabilities. The successful reuse of Booster
14 marked a historic first, demonstrating the fundamental
viability of super heavy reusability.
The achievement of second engine cut off represented the first
time a Block 2 ship reached orbital velocity, validating the
basic propulsion and structural design.
However, the mission's failures provided equally valuable data.
The propellant system leaks that developed during coast phase led
to a cascade of failures, loss of main tank pressurization,
depletion of attitude control propellant and eventual loss of
vehicle control. Post flight analysis revealed
that thermal cycling and structural loads during ascent
have compromised several propellant system joints,
leading to progressive leakage throughout the coast.
Phase Flight 10 incorporates comprehensive design changes to
address Flight 9's failures. Enhanced joint design All
propellant system joints now feature increased preload and
redundant sealing surfaces. Critical connections employ self
energizing seals that increase sealing pressure in response to
internal pressure, providing improved leak resistance.
New purge systems maintain positive pressure in critical
areas, preventing propellant vapor accumulation and reducing
the risk of combustion in the event of minor leaks.
Redundant attitude control The reaction control system now
features multiple independent propellant supplies and cross
feed capabilities, ensuring attitude control capability even
with significant primary system degradation.
Improved Diagnostics Enhanced leak detection systems provide
real time monitoring of propellant system integrity,
enabling proactive responses to developing issues.
The Block 2 design implemented in Flight 10 is a 25% increase
in propellant capacity compared to earlier configurations.
This increase comes not from larger tanks, but from improved
packaging efficiency and reduced structural mass.
The use of advanced manufacturing techniques
including friction stir welding and automated fibre placement
has enabled thinner wall sections while maintaining
required strength margins. The landing leg deletion on Ship
36, following Spacex's commitment to tower catches for
ship recovery, saves approximately 5 tons of mass.
This mass savings translates directly into increased payload
capacity or extended mission duration, demonstrating the
compound benefits of the catch recovery approach.
While Flight 9's heat shield performed adequately during its
uncontrolled RE entry, the lack of attitude control prevented
collection of controlled RE entry data.
Flight 10's enhanced TPS combined with improved attitude
control capabilities promises to provide the first comprehensive
data set on Block 2 thermal protection performance under
control conditions. The transition from adhesive to
mechanical tile attachment is a fundamental reliability
improvement. Flight 9 lost an estimated 150
tiles during ascent, while ground testing of the Flight 10
configuration has shown virtually no tile loss under
equivalent conditions. The propulsion system
improvements between flights extend beyond the previously
discussed enhancements. The implementation of improved
LOX filtration systems addresses turbo pump contamination issues
observed in recovered Flight 9 engines.
These filters, positioned upstream of the turbo pump
inlets, capture debris that could otherwise cause
catastrophic pump failure. The engine controller software
has been updated to bet handle off nominal conditions.
Flight 9 telemetry revealed several instances of marginal
combustion stability that, while not causing immediate failure,
indicated operation closer to stability limits than desired.
Flight 10's updated control algorithms provide increased
margin through active combustion monitoring and adjustment.
Success in Flight 10's objectives would unlock several
critical capabilities for the Starship program in space.
Engine Relight enables true orbital missions, potentially as
soon as Flight 11. Successful payload deployment
demonstrates readiness for commercial styling launches,
providing revenue generation to support continued development.
The Block 2 configuration tested on Flight 10 is the baseline for
near term operational missions. However, SpaceX continues
aggressive development of Block 3 improvements, including Raptor
3 engines promising 22% greater thrust and further mass
reductions through integrated design approaches.
The path from Flight 10 to operational status requires
demonstration of several additional capabilities.
Orbital propellant transfer critical for lunar and Mars
missions requiring precise attitude control and specialized
plumbing interfaces. Extended duration flight
demonstration of multi day orbital operations.
Validating life support systems and long term propellant
storage. Crew capability integration and
testing of life support systems. Crew interfaces.
And abort capabilities required for human flight certification.
High energy validation of TPS performance under lunar and
interplanetary return conditions requiring velocity substantially
higher than low Earth orbit. Flight 10's technical objectives
aligned directly with Spacex's broader strategic goals.
The rapid reusability demonstrated by tower catches
enables the high flight rates necessary for Starlink
constellation deployment and iterative vehicle development.
The payload capacity unlocked by Block 2 improvements positions
Starship as a compelling option for large satellite deployment
and space station logistics. Perhaps most significantly,
successful demonstration of in Space relight and controlled re
entry validates the fundamental architecture required for Mars
missions. The mission's aggressive
objectives, including attempting a tower catch on Booster 16's
maiden flight and demonstrating critical in space capabilities,
embodied Sacex's philosophy of ushing boundaries while learning
from each attempt. The technical data gathered from
Flight 10, whether incomplete success or partial achievement
of objectives, will inform the rapid iteration of Starship.