Gallery: SpaceX Takes Huge Step With Starship-Super Heavy Flight Test

The primary goal of SpaceX’s second Starship-Super Heavy integrated flight test was to demonstrate a “hot-staging” separation system where the upper stage engines ignite while the ship is still attached to the Super Heavy first stage, which was firing three engines at the time. 

With its 33 Raptor engines burning, the Super Heavy reached space on its second flight.

After losing several engines during Super Heavy’s first flight on April 20, SpaceX modified the manifolds on the Raptor engines to help prevent leaks, among other improvements. During the second flight, all 33 Super Heavy engines ignited and remained firing during ascent.

After a successful demonstration of SpaceX’s new hot-staging separation system, the Super Heavy booster was destroyed while the Starship continued flying, reaching space for the first time before it too was lost.

The newly remodeled Starship-Super Heavy launch mount showed no obvious signs of damage after launch on the vehicle’s second flight test on Nov. 18.