For the first time since the program began more than 10 years ago, SpaceX’s Starship actually feels like a real rocket. During today’s test, the megarocket achieved some notable objectives, including an extended flight in outer space.
This is a developing story and will be updated with new information.
With
33
Raptor
engines
revving
at
the
same
time,
and
powered
by
nearly
16
million
pounds
of
thrust,
the
towering
rocket
lifted
off
from
SpaceX’s
Starbase
facility
in
Boca
Chica,
Texas.
The
110-minute
launch
window
opened
at
8:00
a.m.
ET,
with
Starship
finally
taking
off
at
9:25
a.m.
after
multiple
delays,
one
of
which
involved
clearing
boats
from
the
designated
exclusion
zone.
Propellant
load
finally
began
at
approximately
8:35
a.m.
ET.
The rocket managed to clear MaxQ (when aerodynamic stresses reached their peak) and survive stage separation. The Super Heavy booster fell back to Earth, and, unlike last time, managed to not explode. The plan was for the booster to perform a soft landing in the Gulf of Mexico with its 13 center Raptor engines firing, but only a few of them appeared to relight. SpaceX’s onboard video feed cut away from the booster at that critical juncture, as it smashed hard into the ocean. SpaceX will not attempt to recover the booster.
Starship during stage separation. Photo: C&J Images
Meanwhile, the Starship upper stage continued on its journey through space, flying over the Caribbean on its intended path toward the Indian Ocean—its target landing location. It even managed to open and close its payload doors, and controllers initiated commands for a propellant transfer demo, marking important milestones as the rocket steadily advances toward operational readiness.
SpaceX lost contact with the upper stage, known as Ship 28, roughly one hour into the mission. It’s not clear at which stage Ship 28 failed, or the exact nature of the failure, but the spacecraft appears to have burnt up on reentry; the plan was for Starship to survive a controlled reentry and splash down in the Indian Ocean. Notably, an onboard camera showed an upsetting amount of debris in the vehicle’s vicinity prior to reentry, which will likely be an area of concern.
The Starship upper stage during reentry. Screenshot: SpaceX
SpaceX
has
flown
the
fully
integrated
Starship
on
two
prior
occasions,
April
20
and
November
18
of
last
year.
Each
of
these
flights
ended
in
explosions
over
the
Gulf
of
Mexico,
and
each
time
the
Federal
Aviation
Administration
initiated
a
follow-up
investigation.
The
most
recent
probe
came
to
a
close
in
late
February,
with
the
FAA
issuing
its
Starship
launch
license
late
yesterday
afternoon.
SpaceX
had
to
complete
17
corrective
actions
for
the
FAA
before
receiving
clearance
for
Integrated
Flight
Test
3
(IFT-3).
The
regulator
“determined
SpaceX
met
all
safety,
environmental,
policy
and
financial
responsibility
requirements,”
according
to
an
emailed
statement
from
the
FAA.
But
IFT-3
felt
different
than
the
previous
tests—the
rocket
seemed
to
be
so
much
more
in
control.
Sure,
the
booster
crashed
into
the
ocean,
but
that
sets
up
a
logical
goal
for
the
fourth
test.
SpaceX
will
pore
over
the
data,
learning
from
the
good
and
the
bad,
and
once
again
establish
milestones
for
the
subsequent
test.
The
FAA
may
not
have
to
open
an
investigation
into
IFT-3,
unless
it
didn’t
like
the
way
the
booster
crashed
(or
some
other
issue),
which
means
SpaceX
should
be
able
to
proceed
with
the
fourth
test
in
short
order.
The Elon Musk-led company employs an aggressive development process that often results in spectacular failures. “While it’s not happening in a lab or on a test stand, this is absolutely a test,” SpaceX said on X prior to launch. “What we’re doing today will provide invaluable data to continue rapid development of Starship.”
Indeed, the company is under increasing pressure to develop its over-sized reusable rocket system. SpaceX is under contract with NASA to leverage the Starship upper stage as a human landing system for upcoming Artemis missions to the Moon. Artemis 3, set to mark America’s first crewed lunar landing since 1972, is currently planned for late 2026.
Want to know more about Elon Musk’s space venture? Check out our full coverage of SpaceX’s Starship megarocket and the SpaceX Starlink internet satellite megaconstellation. And for more spaceflight in your life, follow us on X and bookmark Gizmodo’s dedicated Spaceflight page.
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