SpaceX’s Starship rocket successfully completed its first full test flight, landing without exploding after launching from Texas, Associated Press reports.
The 121-meter-tall rocket reached nearly 130 miles in altitude and traveled at over 16,000 mph before landing in a controlled fashion after an hour-long flight. Although parts of the spacecraft broke away during reentry, it transmitted data until splashdown in the Indian Ocean. This was the fourth attempt and the longest, most successful flight yet, the previous three attempts ended in explosions.
This test marks a critical step toward SpaceX’s goal of reusing the rocket for missions to the moon and Mars. The Federal Aviation Administration approved this demo, and SpaceX aims to refine the landing process for future recoveries. NASA plans to use Starship for moon-landing missions later this decade, and SpaceX has ambitions for Mars colonization.
