On what date did SpaceX’s Starship complete its first integrated flight test?

SpaceX’s Starship completed its first integrated flight test on April 20, 2023.

The test launched from SpaceX’s Starbase facility in South Texas and combined the Super Heavy booster with the Starship upper stage for the first time. The vehicle lifted off successfully, but the flight ended before separation after the stack lost control and was destroyed by its flight-termination system.

The test still achieved several important milestones: the booster’s 33-engine launch sequence operated, the vehicle cleared the pad, and Starship reached an altitude of roughly 39 kilometers. The mission was not designed to place a payload in orbit.

SpaceX used the results to modify the launch system and prepare later tests. Subsequent integrated flights demonstrated progress in staging, controlled reentry, and booster recovery operations. The April 2023 event is therefore best described as Starship’s first full-stack flight test, rather than a successful orbital mission.