spaceX’s Starship mega rocket completed its first full test flight on Thursday, returning to Earth unexploded after lifting off from Texas.
It was the fourth launch of the largest and most powerful rocket in the world, measuring almost 121 meters high. The three previous flight demonstrations ended in explosions. This time, the rocket and spacecraft managed to crash in a controlled manner, making the hour-long flight the longest and most successful yet.
“Despite the loss of many parts and a damaged flap, the Starship managed to land gently in the ocean!” SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said via X.
The Starship was empty as it flew over the Gulf of Mexico and headed east on a flight to the Indian Ocean. Within minutes, the first stage booster separated from the spacecraft and fell into the gulf exactly as planned, after firing its engines.
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The spacecraft reached an altitude of nearly 130 miles (211 kilometers), traveling at more than 16,000 mph (26,000 km/h), before beginning its descent. Live footage showed parts of the spacecraft breaking off during the intense heat of re-entry, but a cracked camera lens obscured the images.
The spacecraft remained intact enough to transmit data to the crash site in the Indian Ocean.
It was a critical milestone in the company’s plan to eventually reuse the rocket that NASA and Musk are counting on to take humanity to the Moon and then Mars.
“What a show it’s been,” said SpaceX launch commentator Kate Tice from Mission Control at the company’s California headquarters.
SpaceX came close to avoiding explosions in March, but lost contact with the spacecraft as it exited space and exploded before reaching its target. The booster also ruptured during flight, a quarter of a mile above the gulf.
Last years two test flights it ended in explosions shortly after taking off from far south Texas, near the Mexican border. The first opened a crater on Boca Chica beach and sent debris thousands of feet (meters) away.
SpaceX updated the software and made some changes to the flyback rocket to improve the chances. The Federal Aviation Administration signed off Tuesday on this fourth demonstration, saying all safety requirements were met.
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Starship was designed to be completely reusable. That’s why SpaceX wants to control the thruster’s entry into the gulf and the spacecraft’s descent into the Indian Ocean – the aim is to serve as practice for planned future landings. Nothing was recovered from Thursday’s flight.
NASA has ordered a pair of Starships for two astronaut Moon landing missions, available later this decade. Each lunar crew will rely on their own NASA rocket and capsule to leave Earth, but will rendezvous with the Starship in lunar orbit to descend to the surface.
SpaceX is already selling tourist trips around the Moon. The first private lunar customer, a Japanese tycoon, pulled out of the trip with his entourage last week, citing the frequently delayed schedule.
The SpaceX founder and CEO has bigger plans: Musk envisions fleets of starships launching people and the infrastructure needed to build a city on Mars.
This story originally appeared on Time.com read the full story
