SpaceX launches the 11th test flight of its mega Starship rocket with another win

SpaceX launched another of its mammoth Starship rockets on a test flight Monday, successfully making it halfway around the world while releasing mock satellites like last time.

Starship — the biggest and most powerful rocket ever built — thundered into the evening sky from the southern tip of Texas. The booster peeled away and made a controlled entry into the Gulf of Mexico as planned, with the spacecraft skimming space before descending into the Indian Ocean. Nothing was recovered.

“Hey, welcome back to Earth, Starship,” SpaceX's Dan Huot announced as employees cheered. “What a day.”

It was the 11th test flight for a full-scale Starship, which SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk intends to use to send people to Mars. NASA’s need is more immediate. The space agency cannot land astronauts on the moon by decade's end without the 403-foot (123-meter) Starship, the reusable vehicle meant to get them from lunar orbit down to the surface and back up.

Instead of remaining inside Launch Control as usual, Musk said that for the first time he was going outside to watch — “much more visceral.”

The previous test flight in August — a success after a string of explosive failures — followed a similar path with similar goals. More maneuvering was built in this time, especially for the spacecraft. SpaceX conducted a series of tests during the spacecraft's entry over the Indian Ocean as practice for future landings back at the launch site.

Like before, Starship carried up eight mock satellites mimicking SpaceX’s Starlinks. The entire flight lasted just over an hour, originating from Starbase near the Mexican border.

NASA’s acting administrator Sean Duffy praised Starship’s progress. “Another major step toward landing Americans on the moon’s south pole,” he said via X.

SpaceX is modifying its Cape Canaveral launch sites to accommodate Starships, in addition to the much smaller Falcon rockets used to transport astronauts and supplies to the International Space Station for NASA.

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

SpaceX's mega rocket and booster separate during a test flight from Starbase, Texas, Monday, Oct. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

SpaceX's mega rocket booster returns to the gulf during a test flight from Starbase, Texas, Monday, Oct. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

SpaceX's mega rocket Starship makes a test flight from Starbase, Texas, Monday, Oct. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

SpaceX's mega rocket Starship makes a test flight from Starbase, Texas, Monday, Oct. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

SpaceX's mega rocket Starship makes a test flight from Starbase, Texas, Monday, Oct. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

SpaceX's mega rocket Starship makes a test flight from Starbase, Texas, Monday, Oct. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

SpaceX's mega rocket Starship makes a test flight from Starbase, Texas, Monday, Oct. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

SpaceX's mega rocket Starship is prepared for a test flight from Starbase in Boca Chica, Texas, Monday, Oct. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

SpaceX's mega rocket Starship is prepared for a test flight from Starbase in Boca Chica, Texas, Monday, Oct. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

MADRID (AP) — Kylian Mbappé scored in his return from injury on Sunday, leading Real Madrid to a 2-1 win at Alaves in the Spanish league to relieve some of the pressure on coach Xabi Alonso.

Rodrygo also scored as Madrid moved back within four points of leader Barcelona, which beat Osasuna 2-0 on Saturday.

Madrid had won only two of its last eight games in all competitions and was coming off a 2-1 home loss to Manchester City in the Champions League, prompting jeers from fans at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.

“We are together in this, we keep fighting in the good and the bad moments,” Alonso said. “The team competed well today. We started well and came away with the three points. It's fundamental to be united, it's the only way to remain solid and improve day-to-day.”

Mbappé, who missed Madrid's match against City on Wednesday because of a minor injury, scored his 26th goal of the season for Madrid in all competitions after a good run on the left, passing a defender before firing into the top corner from just inside the area in the 24th minute.

Alaves equalized through Carlos Vicente in a 68th-minute breakaway, but Rodrygo put the visitors ahead again from close range after a run and assist by Vinícius Júnior.

It was Rodrygo’s second goal of the season. He had scored for Madrid against City to end a nine-month scoring drought with the club.

Vinícius Júnior hugged Alonso after the goal in a rare show of public support by the Brazilian toward the former Madrid player. The gesture came after media reports said the coach had lost the locker room.

Alaves, which stayed in 12th place, was coming off a win against Sociedad.

Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois earned his 200th victory in 310 appearances with Madrid since he arrived in 2018. Defender Antonio Rüdiger played in his 100th Spanish league match with the club.

Alonso used 19-year-old Víctor Valdepeñas, from Madrid's “B” team, in the left back position because of injuries to the regular starters.

Second-to-last Oviedo fired coach Luis Carrión after a 4-0 loss at Sevilla.

The result extended Oviedo's winless streak to 10 matches in all competitions. Oviedo hasn't won since a 2-1 victory at Valencia in the Spanish league in September.

Carrión leaves with Oviedo on 10 points from 16 matches.

Sevilla moved to ninth place with 20 points.

Celta Vigo won its first home game of the season in the league by beating seventh-placed Athletic Bilbao 2-0.

The result moved the Vigo club to eighth place, one point behind Athletic.

Nico Williams missed a late penalty kick for Athletic.

The game between Levante and Villarreal originally scheduled for Sunday was postponed because of heavy rain in the Valencia region. The league said it made the decision after safety recommendations made by local authorities amid a weather alert issued in the region.

Villarreal was in third place and has won six in a row in the league. Levante was last and has lost five straight league matches.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Alaves and Real Madrid in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses)

Real Madrid's goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, left, watches as players challenge for the ball during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Alaves and Real Madrid in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses)

Real Madrid's head coach Xabi Alonso waits for the start of the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Alaves and Real Madrid in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses)

Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe, left, celebrates with Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior after scoring the opening goal during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Alaves and Real Madrid in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses)

Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Alaves and Real Madrid in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses)