SpaceX conducted its fifth test flight of the Starship rocket, marking a significant advancement in aerospace engineering. The launch took place at 8:25 AM Eastern Time from SpaceX’s Starbase facility in Boca Chica, Texas.
A notable feature of this test was the first-ever attempt to catch the returning Super Heavy booster using mechanical arms, nicknamed “Mechazilla,” at the launch pad. Approximately seven minutes after liftoff, the booster successfully returned and was captured by these arms, demonstrating a groundbreaking method for booster recovery.
The Starship spacecraft itself reached an altitude of about 89 miles (143 kilometers) and achieved speeds up to 17,000 mph (27,359 km/h) before performing a controlled splashdown in the Indian Ocean
This successful flight and recovery are crucial steps toward SpaceX’s goal of creating a fully reusable rocket system, which aims to reduce the costs associated with space launches.
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson congratulated SpaceX on this achievement, emphasizing its importance for future lunar and deep-space missions.
The success of this test brings SpaceX closer to supporting NASA’s Artemis program, which plans to return humans to the Moon in the coming years.
SpaceX plans to conduct additional test flights to further refine the Starship system before commencing crewed missions. The advancements demonstrated in this latest test underscore the rapid progress being made in reusable rocket technology, moving humanity closer to more sustainable and cost-effective space exploration.
