SpaceX’s success for Starship
June 7, 2024
By Chris Forrester
SpaceX successfully launched its Test flight #4 of its giant Starship rocket on June 6th. The upper stage of the world’s most powerful vehicle made its way on track to a controlled soft-splashdown in the Indian ocean.
While this was the fourth test flight, it was the first not to suffer any sort of mishap during its mission. About 65 minutes after its launch, Starship visibly survived reentry through the Earth’s atmosphere and the company confirmed that the rocket had splashed down in the Indian Ocean to complete its flight.
“Our first ever ship landing burn after a launch into space … that was incredible,” SpaceX communications manager Dan Huot said on the company’s live TV coverage.
Prior to the Indian Ocean landing, the rocket’s first stage ‘super heavy’ booster made a similar soft splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico.
Elon Musk, speaking after the event, said it was probably time for Flight #5 to attempt a landing back at the launch site using the rocket gantry’s massive grab-arms. “Despite loss of many tiles and a damaged flap, Starship made it all the way to a soft landing in the ocean!” SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, who had said Starship’s reentry was the mission’s biggest goal, posted on social media after the splashdown.
During the broadcast, the SpaceX video crew showed the new assembly building where many new Starship rockets were being lined up in readiness for future launch activity.