SpaceX successfully locates Starship launch vehicle's stage for the initial time
SpaceX Sets New U.S. Record: The Starship Rocket Booster Nails a Pad Landing after a Nearly Nine-Minent Journey
For the first time in American spaceflight history, SpaceX, an American space transportation company, has pulled off a remarkable feat during its fifth test flight of the "Starship" rocket system. The 121-meter tall spacecraft, carrying an empty "Starship" capsule, blasted off at sunrise (local time) in south Texas, not far from the U.S.-Mexico border. Almost nine minutes later, the 71-meter long booster touched down on the launch pad, safely secured by colossal metal arms. "This is a day that will go down in engineering's timeline," remarked Kate Tice from SpaceX's headquarters in Hawthorne.
In the past, SpaceX, founded by the tech magnate Elon Musk, didn't pursue this particular maneuver. Instead, the booster would plunge into the ocean following its mission. The capsule, detached from the booster, was programmed to touch down in the Indian Ocean after completing a lap around Earth. Unfortunately, this segment of the test was halted during a trial in June due to loose components.
The "Starship" system is hailed as the most massive and powerful rocket ever constructed, with the booster boasting 33 engines. NASA has requested two "Starships" to drop astronauts on the Moon by the end of this decade. SpaceX's ultimate goal is to employ the "Starship" for transporting humans and cargo to the Moon and ultimately, Mars.
After the successful landing, Elon Musk, the founder of SpaceX, expressed his excitement about the achievement. NASA has also shown interest in using the powerful "Starship" rocket, led by Musk, for lunar missions by the end of this decade.
