SpaceX has successfully completed the 10th test flight of its Starship rocket, achieving key objectives without the vehicle or its booster exploding. The test flight, which was delayed multiple times due to weather and other issues, marks a major step forward for the company’s reusable rocket program.
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In a first for the Starship program, the vehicle successfully deployed a payload—specifically, eight dummy Starlink satellites—into space. This was a critical milestone after previous test flights had ended in explosions during ascent or failed to deploy their payloads. Following the deployment, the upper stage, known as Ship, relit one of its engines in flight before splashing down in the Indian Ocean a little over an hour after launch.
The Super Heavy booster also completed a series of experimental maneuvers, including engine configuration changes and a controlled descent back to Earth. This time, SpaceX did not attempt to catch the booster with its launch tower’s “chopstick” arms. Instead, the booster performed a controlled landing into the Indian Ocean, where it exploded upon impact.
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These successful tests are crucial for SpaceX as it continues to develop a fully reusable rocket system. While the company has now proven it can get the vehicle and its booster to return to Earth in a controlled manner, the next major challenge is figuring out how to successfully retrieve and reuse the vehicles after a flight.
