SpaceX's massive prototype rocket, Starship, achieved its first-ever ocean splashdown during its fourth flight test, captivating viewers with a live feed on Thursday.
The two-stage spacecraft, featuring the Starship cruise vessel atop the towering Super Heavy rocket booster, experienced a fiery reentry into Earth's atmosphere in March. Despite breaking apart and losing many tiles, as well as sustaining damage to a flap, the rocket successfully made a soft landing in the ocean.
\"Despite loss of many tiles and a damaged flap, Starship made it all the way to a soft landing in the ocean!\" SpaceX CEO Elon Musk tweeted following the achievement.
Standing nearly 122 meters tall, Starship is designed to be a more cost-effective and powerful successor to SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket. It plays a pivotal role in the company's plans for satellite launches and astronaut missions. NASA has slated Starship for its Artemis program, aiming to return astronauts to the moon by 2026.
Each Starship flight has surpassed previous testing milestones before facing setbacks, such as explosions or atmospheric disintegrations. However, the first successful ocean splashdown marks a significant step forward in SpaceX's ambitious goals.
The development of Starship is crucial as NASA competes with advancements in space programs globally, including those by the Chinese mainland, which plans to send astronauts to the moon by 2030.
Despite the rapid progress, some challenges remain. Recently, a Japanese billionaire canceled his planned lunar flight aboard Starship, citing schedule uncertainties. Additionally, concerns have been raised about workplace safety at SpaceX facilities in Texas and California, according to a Reuters investigation.
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SpaceX's Starship megarocket achieves first ocean splashdown
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