SpaceX successfully launched its giant Starship rocket from Boca Chica, Texas, on Tuesday, marking significant advancements in spaceflight capabilities. However, an attempt to recover its booster Super Heavy ended in failure.
The launch was also witnessed by US President-elect Donald Trump, a signal of growing ties between him and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk. Musk had supported Trump’s presidential campaign and recently joined a government efficiency initiative.
The 122-metre rocket system, designed for lunar landings and Mars missions, lifted off at 4 pm CT (3:30 am IST on Wednesday).
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No mechanical arm catch this time
The 71-metre first-stage Super Heavy booster detached from its second stage, Starship, at 62-km altitude, sending the spacecraft into space.
However, instead of returning to land for a planned catch by tower-mounted arms, Super Heavy splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico, indicating a malfunction.
A live stream by space blogger Everyday Astronaut captured the booster exploding into a massive fireball after splashdown.
Last month, Starship successfully demonstrated its innovative catch-landing method, marking a big milestone in its reusable design. Musk had expressed Tuesday’s planned catch-landing as “faster/harder” in a social media post ahead of the launch.
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Despite the setback, other mission goals were achieved. Starship reignited one of its engines in space for the first time, demonstrating improved maneuverability. The spacecraft completed an orbit of Earth before splashing down in the Indian Ocean.
Elon Musk hopes Donald Trump will prioritise Mars missions
Musk expressed optimism about faster Starship development during the new administration, which is expected to prioritise Mars missions through NASA’s Artemis programme which is due to return astronauts to the lunar surface.
On November 13, Trump appointed Elon Musk as co-leader of Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) aimed at eliminating wasteful spending and easing regulations, which Musk has often criticised as restrictive.
Musk has previously expressed frustration with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) over delays in approving commercial rocket launches, which he believes hinder SpaceX’s Mars ambitions. However, the FAA approved Tuesday’s Starship launch just over a month after its previous flight.
