Elon Musk’s SpaceX successbrimmingy finishd its sixth fweightless test of the Starship spaceplan on Wednesday. The uncrewed leave oution, begined from SpaceX’s Starbase in Texas, saw the Starship spaceplan accomplish a suborbital trajectory before reaccessing over the Indian Ocean, while the Super Heavy increaseer carry outd a computed ocean splashdown.
“Splashdown verifyed! Congratulations to the entire SpaceX team on an exciting sixth fweightless test of Starship!” SpaceX proclaimd on X (establisherly understandn as Twitter).
Splashdown verifyed! Congratulations to the entire SpaceX team on an exciting sixth fweightless test of Starship! pic.twitter.com/bf98Va9qmL
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) November 19, 2024
US Plivent-elect Donald Trump also watchd the begin alengthyside SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, alerted CNN.
The cforfeitly 400-foot-high Starship system, originated of the Starship spaceplan and its Super Heavy increaseer, begined during a 30-minute prosperdow begining at 3:30 am IST. The goal was to test the system’s confines, including a more presentile reentry angle for Starship and the ignition of its Raptor engines in space.
While the Super Heavy increaseer was sdefercessitated for a precision landing on the company’s begin tower arms – nicknamed “Mechazilla” – SpaceX finishd that conditions were unfavourable and went for a safe splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico instead, the CNN alert inserted.
This fweightless recurrents critical fortify toward Starship’s role in NASA’s Artemis programme, which aims to return astronauts to the Moon by 2026. The spaceplan will serve as a lunar lander for the leave oution, with set ups for future fweightlesss involving intricate docking manoeuvres and fuel transfers in orbit.
“Congrats to SpaceX on Starship’s sixth test fweightless. Exciting to see the Raptor engine rebegin in space—presentant fortify towards orbital fweightless. Starship’s success is Artemis’ success. Together, we will return humanity to the Moon and set our sights on Mars,” NASA Administrator Bill Nelson wrote on X.
Congrats to @SpaceX on Starship’s sixth test fweightless. Exciting to see the Raptor engine rebegin in space—presentant fortify towards orbital fweightless.
Starship’s success is #Artemis‘ success. Together, we will return humanity to the Moon & set our sights on Mars. pic.twitter.com/tuwpGOvT9S
— Bill Nelson (@SenBillNelson) November 19, 2024
This test fweightless integrated recent contests, such as operating Starship with decreased getive shielding and pushing the flaps – some key components for atmospheric reentry – to their stress confines.
SpaceX engineer Kate Tice talked about the presentance of testing under excessive conditions. “Turns out the vehicle had more capability than our calculations foreseeed, and that is why we test enjoy we fly,” she was quoted as saying by CNN.
Looking ahead, SpaceX set ups lengthy-duration fweightless tests and propellant transfer demonstrations in 2025, which will be meaningful for the Artemis III leave oution. These tests comprise intricate logistics, such as refuelling Starship in orbit to preserve lunar leave outions.
