SpaceX conducted another test flight of its giant Starship rocket on Friday, in a mission deemed largely successful despite several technical issues. This twelfth test of the program comes at a strategic time for Elon Musk's company, which is preparing for a historic IPO that will include SpaceX, Starlink, and xAI.
The launch took place from Starbase, Texas, with a 124-meter-tall rocket, even larger than previous versions. The two stages separated correctly after liftoff, and the upper stage ultimately completed its trajectory in the Indian Ocean after approximately 65 minutes of flight.
Technical glitches, but objectives achieved.
The flight was not without its flaws. The main booster failed to deliver the expected thrust and fell uncontrollably into the Gulf of Mexico, missing SpaceX's target area. The upper stage also suffered an engine malfunction, preventing a successful orbital insertion.
Despite this, several key objectives were met, including the deployment of dummy satellites to test the spacecraft's heat shield. The SpaceX teams celebrated this achievement, considered an important step before future lunar missions under NASA's Artemis program.
A new step towards American lunar ambitions
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman hailed the test as "bringing us closer to the Moon and Mars." Starship is ultimately intended to send American astronauts to the Moon by 2028 before being used to further Elon Musk's Martian ambitions.
Before reaching this goal, however, SpaceX still needs to overcome several crucial technical hurdles. Among them is in-orbit refueling, considered a key element for enabling Starship to carry out long-duration missions to the Moon and, eventually, to Mars.
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