The test launch took place on Friday from Starbase in Texas, located near the border with Mexico. The rocket took off at 6:30 p.m. Eastern time, although it was originally scheduled to start the day before – the date was postponed for technical reasons. The mission belonging to Elon Musk's company was broadcast live.
It was the 12th test of the Starship system since 2023 and the premiere of the third generation of the 124 m high structure. The flight was carried out without a crew, and engineers did not plan to recover the ship after its completion. The board included Starlink satellite simulators and two real test satellites that were placed in space.
New Raptor 3 engines and the return of Super Heavy
During the mission, the operation of the latest version of Raptor 3 engines and the modernized Super Heavy booster were checked. The latter element splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico about 6 minutes after leaving the ground. The Starship itself ended its flight in the Indian Ocean, landing there after more than an hour of flight.
The SpaceX founder commented on the successful test on social media. — Congratulations to the SpaceX team on the first historic launch and landing of Starship V3! You have succeeded for humanity, Musk wrote on X.
Elon Musk's Mars plans
The modernized variant of the rocket is intended to bring the company closer to implementing the lunar program. In the longer term, Musk hopes that Starship will allow people to reach Mars – this is one of the key goals of the entire project.
The company is already taking reservations for commercial trips around the Moon and to Mars aboard Starship. A ticket for the circumlunar cruise was booked 3.5 years ago by the first space tourist in history, Californian entrepreneur Dennis Tito, and his wife. However, the date of this undertaking is still unknown, notes the AP agency.
Last week, another wealthy passenger announced his plans. Chinese-born bitcoin investor Chun Wang announced his participation in Starship's first interplanetary expedition to Mars. Neither the ticket cost nor the flight date were made public.
The importance of the SpaceX pre-IPO test
Starship remains currently the strongest launch system in the world and is designed to be reusable. The rocket is larger than the Falcon 9 previously used by SpaceX and plays an essential role in plans to cheaply transport cargo and people to orbit, emphasizes CNBC. Friday's test also has a business dimension in the context of the company's upcoming stock exchange entry.
