SpaceX’s megarocket finds redemption after explosive failures. But time may be running out

SpaceX’s luck appears to be turning, as the company notched a second straight successful test flight of the Starship launch system — the most powerful rocket ever constructed — on Monday evening.

The test mission, which kicked off around 7:23 p.m. ET at SpaceX’s facilities in South Texas, marked the final showing for Starship Version 2, or V2, which SpaceX will now retire in favor of another, slightly larger and more powerful prototype called Version 3.

The V2 test campaign began in January and was marked by a string of explosive, in-flight failures — with one vehicle exploding during a ground test and three others erupting into flames mid-flight — followed by a surprising redemption arc.

Despite recent successes, however, SpaceX has a long way to go before Starship is ready to set out on an operational mission. And the plans for this vehicle are nothing less than transformational: SpaceX CEO Elon wants Starship to carry humans to Mars for the first time. NASA also plans to use the vehicle to land astronauts on the moon as soon as 2027 amid a new space race with China — a goal that is putting SpaceX and Starship in the hot seat as the space agency’s deadline rapidly approaches.

With those lunar dreams looming, here are six takeaways from the pivotal vehicle’s 11th test flight.