Prototype of SpaceX’s interplanetary ship successfully completes controlled flight.

Yesterday, SpaceX successfully conducted its fourth flight test of its interplanetary ship prototype, Starship. The spacecraft flew into Earth orbit and then returned to the planet in a controlled manner, demonstrating its potential for reuse. This achievement aligns with Elon Musk’s goal of developing a reusable space transportation system.

The test took place at the SpaceX base in Boca Chica, Texas, with Starship taking off at 12:50 UTC. The booster rocket, Super Heavy, separated three minutes into the flight at an altitude of 90 kilometers. Super Heavy made a successful splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico, fulfilling the first objective of the test. Starship continued into Earth orbit at a height of 160 kilometers, reaching speeds of over 26 thousand kilometers per hour towards the Indian Ocean.

During the flight, Starship performed a tilt maneuver for re-entry into the atmosphere. Images from onboard cameras showed detachments from the fuselage due to intense heat from friction. Despite an issue with the image signal, Starship managed a controlled landing in the Indian Ocean west of Australia after an hour and five minutes of flight, completing the second objective of the mission.

In previous tests, Starship separated from the rocket and reached orbital flight but was lost over the Indian Ocean. The team made software and hardware updates for this flight, including operational changes like scrapping the hot-stage of Super Heavy to reduce rocket mass for the final phase of the flight.

Starship and Super Heavy, collectively known as Starship, represent a reusable transportation system designed for crew and cargo missions to Earth orbit, the Moon, Mars, and beyond. Starship can carry up to 150 fully reusable metric tons and has a height of 121 meters and a diameter of nine meters. The successful test flight marks a significant milestone for SpaceX in its journey towards efficient and reusable space travel.