SpaceX launches huge Starship rocket on 15th test flight
SpaceX launched its massive Starship rocket on its 15th test flight on Friday, but it was unsuccessful in controlling the booster's landing. The company has successfully caught the rocket's booster three times before. Jason Allen has the story.
On Friday, SpaceX undertook its 15th test flight of the colossal Starship rocket, a mission designed to last 22 hours. The rocket's first stage, a 236-foot-tall Super Heavy booster, successfully ignited, propelling the Starship into orbit. However, a technical issue led to a splashdown in the Texas Gulf Coast instead of a return to the launch pad.
The spacecraft then performed a controlled re-entry, intentionally flying over sparsely populated areas of northern Mexico and southern Texas before descending towards the launch site. If any issues arose during reentry, SpaceX had planned to intentionally tumble the spacecraft to break it up in the atmosphere, preventing any potential damage to populated areas.
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