SpaceX has taken a giant leap toward the Moon.
The company’s Starship successfully launched Thursday morning, traveling more than halfway around the world before burning up over the Indian Ocean, the Washington Post reported. After two previous attempts, this latest effort is the most promising yet for SpaceX and a welcome milestone for Elon Musk’s space exploration company.
“It’s incredible to see the progress we’ve made this time,” SpaceX spokesman Dan Huett said during the company’s livestream.
After a nearly perfect launch, the Starship flew for about an hour. The newspaper wrote that all 33 rocket engines ignited successfully, and the Starship separated and flew around the world at a speed of 16,000 miles per hour. Although the rocket could have entered Earth orbit, SpaceX opted to re-enter the atmosphere over the Indian Ocean. After reaching temperatures of approximately 2,600 degrees Fahrenheit, the spacecraft was unable to return to Earth.
Despite the less than stellar ending, SpaceX described the entire process as a success, as Starship achieved several important milestones during its test flight. During its maiden flight in April, the spacecraft’s engines failed and the force of the rocket blew it off the launch pad, scattering debris on a Texas beach. A second attempt in November started well, but engine failure ultimately doomed the car.
Once the spacecraft is in prime condition, the system will be used to return humans to the Moon. NASA has invested $4 billion to develop the spacecraft. SpaceX has several more rockets in production, Musk said, and the company said “upgrades from flight testing will begin on the next Starship and Super Heavy.” (Super Heavy is the name of the launch vehicle, and launch vehicle and spacecraft The vehicle is called a starship.)
Earlier this year, NASA delayed its Artemis lunar mission to 2025 and 2026, so Musk and SpaceX have time to prepare Starship for that big moment. It seems they have learned a lot from the previous two tests, and the third test should be no exception. “Each of these flight tests is just that, a test,” the company said in a statement ahead of Thursday’s flight. Is kept in the environment.”
We can’t wait to see how the final version will perform and how it will look next to the Prada spacesuits worn by astronauts.
