SpaceX has conducted the fifth test flight of the Starship spacecraft from Texas. This time, SpaceX managed to catch the first stage of the SpaceX Super Heavy rocket using the launch tower.
The launch was broadcast on the company’s X account.
The rocket was launched from the SpaceX launch complex in Boca Chica, Texas. At an altitude of about 70 km, the rocket’s first stage separated to return to Earth.
The super-heavy launch vehicle restarted three of the Raptor’s 33 engines to slow its rapid descent back to the SpaceX launch pad as it aimed for the launch tower from which it had launched.
As a result, SpaceX successfully landed a Super Heavy carrier on the launch pad for the first time since the launch of Starship. For this purpose, they used the Mechazilla gripper.
The successful landing of the Super Heavy is considered the most critical achievement in creating a fully reusable rocket for flights to the Moon, Mars, and more distant objects.
Subsequently, the Starship Flight 5 spacecraft successfully made a soft landing in the Indian Ocean. After landing, the spacecraft rolled over and fell into the ocean. It then likely exploded, ending its mission.