SpaceX Lessons Learned From Flight 10

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In a presentation at the American Astronautical Society’s Glenn Space Technology Symposium on September 9, 2025, SpaceX’s vice president of build and flight reliability, Bill Gerstenmaier, discussed key lessons from Starship’s tenth integrated flight test (Flight 10), which launched on August 26, 2025, and achieved an on-target splashdown in the Indian Ocean after a suborbital trajectory.

The flight included experiments with three metallic heat shield tiles, which oxidized in the high-oxygen environment during reentry, resulting in a rusty orange discoloration and proving less effective at heat management than the vehicle’s primary ceramic tiles. While nearly all tiles remained attached – unlike in prior flights – heat penetrated through gaps between them, eroding the underlying thermal barrier material and causing visible white blotches where ablation occurred. This highlighted the need for better sealing to prevent plasma and heat from seeping underneath the tiles and damaging the structure.

An experimental “crunch wrap” sealing material applied in select areas performed well, reducing heat leakage in those spots (appearing darker in post-flight imagery) and showing promise for broader use. Overall, Gerstenmaier emphasized that these findings confirmed metallic tiles are not viable for the heat shield, but the data will inform rapid iterations toward full reusability.

Looking ahead, SpaceX plans to apply the crunch wrap material more extensively on Flight 11 (potentially in October 2025) to enhance tile sealing and durability, while sticking to a similar suborbital profile. This will help prepare for the debut of the upgraded Version 3 (V3) Starship and Super Heavy booster in 2026, featuring a more powerful Raptor engine variant. The first V3 flight will be suborbital, with an orbital attempt targeted no earlier than Flight 13, depending on test outcomes. Future goals include booster and ship recovery catches at Starbase around Flights 13-15, followed by orbital refueling demos in 2026 to enable missions beyond Earth orbit.

Last update on 2025-12-20 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API