Raumfahrt: Riesen-Rakete Starship schafft es erstmals in Erdumlaufbahn

SpaceX's colossal Starship rocket made history with its inaugural successful launch into Earth's orbit during an extraordinary test flight on Monday morning. The rocket, the largest ever constructed, blasted off from a launch site in Texas. Initially, the mission was slated to last around ten hours, during which the rocket would lower itself into Earth's orbit and circumnavigate the planet approximately six times.

However, SpaceX announced that the Starship would return to Earth just around three hours post-launch, significantly earlier than the original plan. The reason for the premature return was not initially disclosed. After burning up in a fiery ball, the rocket safely plunged into the Pacific Ocean. During the mission, SpaceX also deployed Starlink satellites for the first time.

These V3 satellites were expected to deploy their antennas, unfold solar panels, and establish connections with Earth and other Starlink satellites upon deployment. Initial reports suggested that the plan had gone largely according to schedule. This marks the 14th test flight of Starship. The rocket system is larger than the Statue of Liberty in New York and consists of two sections that separate after launch: a roughly 70-meter-long Super Heavy booster and a similarly named upper stage, measuring about 50 meters in length.

Both sections are designed for reuse after returning to Earth. The U.S. space agency NASA aims to send astronauts to the Moon using Starship, while SpaceX also aims to eventually reach Mars. The rocket system was first tested in April 2023, but it exploded completely just minutes into the test. Subsequent tests saw the upper stage reach space and land safely in the Indian Ocean. However, several test flights had already fallen short of expectations.