SpaceX made headlines on Tuesday with the launch of another Starship rocket from Texas. Unlike the successful booster catch in last month's test, this time SpaceX opted to let the booster splash down in the Gulf of Mexico.
The decision to abort the booster catch came just four minutes into the flight for reasons that remain unspecified. SpaceX spokesman Dan Huot explained that not all criteria for a successful catch were met, leading the flight director to command the booster to return to the ocean, where it hit the water three minutes later.
Meanwhile, the empty spacecraft completed a near loop around the world, closely mirroring the flight path of October's test. The retro-looking Starship skimmed the edge of space, targeting the Indian Ocean for a controlled, destructive end to the hour-long demonstration.
This launch marks another step in the development of the world's largest and most powerful rocket, which SpaceX and NASA aim to use for returning astronauts to the Moon and eventually reaching Mars.
Adjustments were made in this test, including a late afternoon launch instead of an early morning one to ensure daylight observations during the spacecraft's descent. Additionally, the mission included igniting one of the spacecraft's engines in space—a critical function for future orbital returns—and conducting thermal protection experiments by stripping some areas of heat tiles to test catch mechanisms for upcoming flights. SpaceX has already planned further upgrades for the next test flight.
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SpaceX launches Starship rocket but aborts booster catch attempt
cgtn.com
