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On October 13, 2025, SpaceX launched its 11th full-scale Starship test flight from Texas, marking the final flight of the second-generation rocket. The Super Heavy booster executed a controlled splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico, while the Starship upper stage deployed eight mock Starlink satellites and splashed down in the Indian Ocean. This flight tested new heat shield configurations and dynamic maneuvers, advancing NASA’s Artemis lunar goals and SpaceX’s Mars ambitions.
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On November 14, 2025, Chinese astronauts Chen Dong, Chen Zhongrui, and Wang Jie safely returned to Earth after a nine-day delay caused by space debris damage to their original Shenzhou-20 return capsule. They landed in the Gobi Desert aboard the newer Shenzhou-21 spacecraft. The incident highlights growing risks from orbital debris amid China's expanding space ambitions.
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In late November 2025, a Soyuz rocket launch from Baikonur Cosmodrome successfully delivered three astronauts to the ISS but caused significant damage to the launchpad's service cabin. Roscosmos has begun repairs, aiming to restore the pad by February 2026. The incident has prompted NASA to advance Dragon supply missions to mitigate potential supply gaps. Meanwhile, SpaceX's Starship V3 booster suffered a critical failure during ground testing, delaying its development.