TEXAS- Elon Musk-led SpaceX Starship successfully launched on its fifth test flight from Texas, marking a significant milestone in space exploration.
The launch featured the company’s inaugural attempt to recover the Super Heavy booster using massive robotic arms at the launch tower.
SpaceX Starship 5 Launch
The Super Heavy booster separated from Starship at an altitude of 74 kilometers (46 miles). Following the separation, it executed a planned return to Boca Chica on the Mexican border.
Upon arrival, the booster was captured and secured by enormous mechanical appendages, dubbed “chopsticks” by SpaceX, though they more closely resemble metal arms or giant pincers.
While the booster returned to Earth, Starship continued its journey, with plans to splash down in the Indian Ocean west of Australia. Both Starship and Super Heavy are engineered for reusability, designed to transport crew and cargo to lunar and beyond-lunar destinations.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) granted launch approval just one day before liftoff, weeks ahead of expectations. This swift decision contrasted with previous statements suggesting a late November timeline for the Starship 5 approval.
The FAA confirmed that SpaceX had met all necessary safety, environmental, and licensing requirements for the suborbital test flight. Additionally, the agency approved the mission profile for Starship 6.
Elon Musk, SpaceX’s founder, has voiced strong criticism of the FAA, particularly regarding the delayed approval for Starship 5, which SpaceX declared ready in August. Despite these tensions, the launch proceeded as planned.
SpaceX touts Starship as the world’s most powerful launch vehicle ever developed, boasting a payload capacity of up to 150 metric tonnes.
NASA Applauds the Launch
NASA closely tracked the Starship test flight, expressing optimism about its potential impact on upcoming lunar expeditions.
The space agency has partnered with SpaceX to create a specialized Starship variant for the Artemis program, which seeks to land astronauts on the Moon again.
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