SpaceX has once again try the nerve of its Starship rocket with its sixth trial flight of stairs , which made a battered but ultimately successful landing in the Indian Ocean . Starship lifted off the pad at 5 p.m. ET ( 2 p.m. PT ) from the Starbase installation in Texas , splash down around an hour afterward after a subocular trajectory .
Liftoff of Starship!pic.twitter.com / rSLQ2DDy63
& mdash ; SpaceX ( @SpaceX)November 19 , 2024
The design had been to set about to catch up with the booster , or first stage , of the rocket as had been done previously on theStarship ’s fifth psychometric test flight . This dodgy maneuver involve the shoplifter separate from the upper degree , flipping in the air , and then come back in to land at the Starbase situation in Texas .
To catch the booster , a column is equipped with a span of “ chopstick ” limb that can come together around the booster shot as it come in to secure it in position . In the long terminal figure , being able-bodied to catch the booster shot in this way have in mind that it can be reused for future missions , make the launch of multiple Starship missions more affordable .
However , today SpaceX choose to call off the catch attempt and rather had the admirer come in for a splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico . The company has not yet announce why this decisiveness was made , but given the very new country of the technology , it slip on the side of forethought when testing maneuver at its landing internet site .
“ Distinct fomite and pad criteria must be met prior to a comeback and grab of the Super Heavy booster , which will require goodish system on the booster and tower and a final manual bidding from the mission ’s Flight conductor , ” SpaceX wrote before the launch . “ If this bidding is not transport prior to the completion of the boostback burn , or if automated wellness checks show unacceptable conditions with Super Heavy or the tower , the booster will default to a trajectory that takes it to a landing tan and soft splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico . We accept no compromise when it comes to ensuring the safety of the world and our squad , and the yield will only take piazza if conditions are proper . ”
The shoplifter did come in for a gentle splashdown on the ocean , but exploded shortly after match the surface of the body of water . It is likely that it set off due to the booster tipping over as it touch down on the water , making it structurally unsound .
Also during the flight , the Starship did accomplish relighting an engine in space for the first time . One of the Raptor engines was reignite at around 35 minutes after launching , before the Starship came back in for reentry , which is an important capability for succeeding ballistic capsule to be able-bodied to move in and out of sustainable orbits .
As the spaceship came in to reentry , there was burn of hot metal and wrinkling of the material on the side of the rocket seeable on the alive stream , but it did make it through the maximal heat second and splashed down successfully on the ocean . The fomite looked fairly damaged when it landed on the ocean ; however , it did touch down in one art object .
Splashdown confirmed ! Congratulations to the entire SpaceX team on an exciting sixth flight test of Starship!pic.twitter.com / bf98Va9qmL
Even without the booster station catch , this marks another impressive test for the Starship , which will finally be used for tasks such ascarrying NASA cargoand spaceman to the moon as part of the Artemis program .
