SpaceX's mega rocket finishes fourth Texas test flight without an explosion

SpaceX's Starship Achieves Landmark Test Flight

SpaceX’s massive Starship rocket completed its first full test flight Thursday, successfully returning to Earth without exploding. This test, marking the fourth launch attempt of the world's largest and most powerful rocket at nearly 400 feet tall, demonstrated significant progress. Unlike previous flights, the rocket and spacecraft managed a controlled splashdown, making this one-hour mission the longest and most successful to date.

CEO Elon Musk expressed optimism despite some issues, noting via X, “Despite loss of many tiles and a damaged flap, Starship made it all the way to a soft landing in the ocean!” The uncrewed Starship soared over the Gulf of Mexico and proceeded eastward, aiming for the Indian Ocean. In its early stages, the first-stage booster separated as planned, descending smoothly into the gulf after engine deployment. The spacecraft climbed to approximately 130 miles in altitude, achieving speeds exceeding 16,000 mph before starting its descent.

Live footage revealed parts of the spacecraft breaking away during reentry heat, though some images were obscured due to a cracked camera lens. Crucially, the spacecraft stayed intact enough to relay data to its intended splashdown point in the Indian Ocean. This achievement marks an essential step in SpaceX's ambition to reuse the rocket, a key element in NASA and Musk's plan to facilitate missions to the moon and eventually Mars.

SpaceX launch commentator Kate Tice hailed the achievement from Mission Control in California, saying, “What a show it has been.” This success follows a near-miss in March, where the spacecraft lost contact and exploded before reaching its objective. The booster had also ruptured mid-flight previously, crashing above the gulf.

Previous test flights resulted in explosions shortly after launch from Boca Chica Beach in Texas near the Mexican border, causing significant debris. To mitigate these issues, SpaceX upgraded software and made rocket flight adjustments. The Federal Aviation Administration approved this fourth demo on Tuesday, confirming all safety protocols were met.

The ultimate goal for Starship is complete reusability. SpaceX aims to control the booster's entry into the gulf and the spacecraft's descent into the Indian Ocean as practice for future landings, although nothing from Thursday's flight will be recovered. SpaceX acknowledged the test as making "major strides" towards this objective.

NASA has contracted SpaceX for two Starship missions scheduled for later in this decade. These missions will see crewed moon landings facilitated by NASA's rockets and capsules meeting Starship in lunar orbit for the descent. SpaceX is also planning commercial lunar tourism. Recently, a Japanese tycoon canceled a moon trip citing schedule delays.

Beyond lunar missions, Musk envisions fleets of Starships launching with people and infrastructure to establish a city on Mars. This vision drives SpaceX’s continuous development and testing of the Starship rocket system.