Not only did the 120-ton Starship rocket take to the skies during its fourth test flight, but both stages also returned, with the booster landing in the Gulf of Mexico and the upper stage experiencing a chaotic re-entry. This test brings the super-heavy lifting vehicle closer to reusability.
Starship Integrated Flight Test 4 it was one for the books, if not just for the jaw-dropping views of the rocket being blasted by plasma on its way back through Earth’s atmosphere.
SpaceX launched its Starship rocket from the company’s Starbase facility in Boca Chica, Texas, on Thursday at 8:50 a.m. ET. The rocket was loaded with more than 10 million pounds (4,500 metric tons) of propellant.
The rocket’s ascent went smoothly, although one of its 33 Raptor engines failed to ignite shortly after launch. The rocket’s two previous tests saw all 33 engines operate nominally during flights. The engines were a concern after Starship’s first test flight on April 20, 2023, when several engines failed during launch and the rocket exploded just minutes after liftoff. This time, the engine failure did not affect Starship’s test flight, but it is perhaps a point of concern regarding engine reliability.
After liftoff, Starship performed a successful hot stage separation, shutting down all but three of the Super Heavy Booster’s Raptor engines and firing up the six second-stage Raptor engines before separation. Starship then discarded the booster and hot stage adapter. According to SpaceX, future versions of the upper stage will carry an integrated hot stage adapter, eliminating the need to discard hardware after stage separation.
Following its separation, the Super Heavy booster performed its spin and burn landing maneuver that sent it toward the splashdown zone. That’s what it’s all about: the sweet return of Starship.
“The payload for these flight tests is data,” SpaceX he wrote in X. “Based on what we achieved during Starship’s third flight test, our main goal today is to overcome the extreme heat of reentry.”
O last time the rocket took to the skies It was March 14th. During this flight, Starship successfully performed a stage separation, completed a full burn of the second stage engines, demonstrated internal propellant transfer for NASA, and tested the Starlink dispenser port. The mission lasted one hour and 49 minutes before the upper stage disintegrated during reentry.
This time, the rocket survived its controlled re-entry. Starship overcame peak heating and maximum aerodynamic pressure, using its flaps to control the vehicle as it descended through the atmosphere at hypersonic speeds. Many of the vehicle’s 18,000 thermal protection plates flew off during reentry, and one of the vehicle’s front flaps in particular was seen fighting for its life in dramatic images captured by cameras placed on the rocket.
SpaceX placed one thin thermal shield plate and removed two others before the rocket launched to measure heat in areas without plates and to test thermal shield options, according to the company. Footage of the re-entry dramatically showed how hot things got for the rocket on its descent, with plasma enveloping the vehicle during its descent.
Despite the heat, Starship continued its controlled descent and performed a landing burn before crashing into the Indian Ocean about 65 minutes after liftoff. “Despite the loss of many parts and a damaged flap, the Starship managed to land gently in the ocean!” SpaceX CEO Elon Musk he wrote in X. The Rocket Billionaire added that the flap problem should be resolved for the next Starship flight. He stated, “A newer version of the Starship has the front flaps moved to leeward. This will help improve reliability, ease of manufacturing and on-orbit payload.”
Starship’s previous flights have prompted investigations by the Federal Aviation Administration, but SpaceX may be in the clear this time. This could mean we’ll see another Starship prototype taking off soon, ready to put on another show.
Want to know more about Elon Musk’s space venture? Check out our complete coverage of SpaceX’s Starship megarocket and the SpaceX Starlink internet satellite megaconstellation. And for more spaceflights in your life, follow us on X and tag the Gizmodo dedicated Space Flight Page.
