SpaceX launches massive Starship V3 rocket on test flight
Elon Musk’s SpaceX launched the largest and most powerful rocket in history after the highly anticipated test flight was postponed.
The crewless Starship V3 rocket launched from Texas just after 17:30 (2230 GMT) on Friday, a few days later. SpaceX unveils plans for record-breaking stock market debut.
Once in space, Starship deployed 20 dummy satellites before re-entering and splashed down in the Indian Ocean about an hour after launch, where it exploded as planned. “Congratulations to the @SpaceX team on an epic first Starship V3 launch and landing!” Musk said. “You scored a goal for humanity.”
The first launch attempt on Thursday was delayed due to a malfunction in the launch tower.
[Getty Images]
The SpaceX team celebrated after the launch, and although the mission accomplished most of its main goals, it didn’t go exactly as planned.
Both stages of the rocket experienced engine failures, but the test flight was largely successful; This will likely boost the confidence of both investors and NASA, which plans to use the Starship vehicle on future Moon missions.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman congratulated Musk and the SpaceX team.
“One step closer to the Moon… One step closer to Mars,” he shared on X.
This was the 12th flight of the SpaceX rocket and featured the newest design at an altitude of 124 meters (407 feet), more than 40 stories high.
Starship V3’s debut comes ahead of SpaceX’s initial public offering (IPO), which would be the largest in Wall Street history. It could start next month.
The listing could make him the first trillionaire in history due to the shares Musk will own in SpaceX, which values him at $1.25 trillion.
SpaceX not only builds rockets, it also has a satellite internet service called Starlink and owns the controversial artificial intelligence (AI) firm xAI.
