SpaceX's fifth Starship test flight marked a major milestone on Sunday, successfully catching the Super Heavy booster using giant mechanical arms at the Texas launch pad.
Source: SpaceX
The Super Heavy booster, standing 71 metres tall, lifted off at 7:25 a.m. CT, separating from the Starship at 70 km altitude, and returned to the launch tower for the first time.
Source: SpaceX
The rocket re-lit three of its 33 Raptor engines to slow descent, targeting the 400-foot launch tower equipped with large mechanical arms to catch the returning booster.
Source: SpaceX
The tower's metal arms successfully caught the 233-foot booster, hooking it in place using tiny bars on its grid fins—a first-time engineering feat for SpaceX.
Source: SpaceX
Meanwhile, Starship reached 89 miles in space at speeds of 17,000 mph, re-entering Earth's atmosphere and heading for a controlled splashdown in the Indian Ocean.
Source: SpaceX
Covered with 18,000 heat-shield tiles, Starship re-ignited one of its six Raptor engines, landing precisely on target in the ocean before toppling and exploding.
Source: SpaceX
This test flight further advances SpaceX's vision for reusable rockets capable of carrying more cargo to orbit and eventually transporting humans to the moon and Mars.
Source: SpaceX
Onboard cameras captured stunning visuals of Starship's reentry, showcasing a glowing aura of superhot plasma as it reentered Earth's atmosphere at hypersonic speeds.
Source: SpaceX
Though Starship toppled and exploded post-landing, engineers celebrated the precise touchdown, marking significant progress in SpaceX's development of a reusable spacecraft.
Source: SpaceX
With future missions aimed at Mars, SpaceX continues refining Starship's design.
Source: SpaceX