Starship Flight 11 marks the final launch from Pad 1(A) in its current configuration, concluding over 10 flights and numerous tests that have been instrumental in advancing the Starship program.

The launch is scheduled for October 13 at 6:15 pm CDT, with backup windows through October 19, and favorable weather conditions are expected, making it a promising opportunity for this historic flight.

This mission aims to test critical systems, including the booster’s ascent, hotstaging, and a new, more redundant landing burn with engine downselect, along with the ship’s ability to reach the coast, deploy dummy Starlinks, and perform a splashdown in the Indian Ocean.

The final flight will utilize Booster 15-2 and Ship 38, the last Block 2 vehicles, with Booster 15-2 having previously flown on Flight 8 and now equipped with 24 flight-proven Raptor engines, marking a significant milestone.

Ship 38 features modifications like missing tiles on the starboard side to assess damage thresholds and will perform a dynamic banking maneuver during reentry to test guidance algorithms and speed management, representing a key step in iterative testing.

While this marks the end of an era for Pad 1(A), SpaceX plans to transition to two new, upgraded pads scheduled to come online next year, highlighting ongoing development and future growth of the Starship program.

Pad 1(A) has a storied history of extensive use and modifications, starting as a booster test stand and experiencing notable incidents such as severe damage during Flight 1 and the Booster 12 catch event, which became a memorable moment in spaceflight history.