SpaceX’s Starship rocket launched the first batch of Starlink satellite prototypes into orbit on August 26, also testing new heat shields during reentry. This was reported by Reuters.
The Starship rocket launched at about 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time from SpaceX’s base in southern Texas. Within three minutes, the massive Super Heavy booster separated the Starship’s upper stage. It launched it into space tens of kilometers above the Earth’s surface.
Thirty minutes after launch, the satellite launch system deployed eight Starlink satellite prototypes for the first time — the main goal of the mission.
During reentry over the Indian Ocean, about an hour after launch, various types of heat shields were tested. Musk’s company aims to create an external shield that requires minimal or no repair after each flight.
The mission ended with a controlled vertical splashdown of the rocket on the ocean surface west of Australia. The Starship then rolled over and exploded, likely due to a design-built abort system.
The company had previously aborted a Starship launch attempt on August 24 due to technical issues at the launch pad.