SpaceX's latest test flight of its Starship rocket marked another milestone for the company, as President-elect Donald Trump witnessed the event from the control room at the Starbase launch pad near Brownsville, Texas. The sixth test flight, conducted on November 19, 2024, aimed to refine SpaceX’s advanced technology, but instead of successfully catching the Super Heavy booster after its launch, the booster splashed down forcefully in the Gulf of Mexico.
Elon Musk, the CEO of SpaceX, was alongside Trump, who previously took to social media to express his excitement about attending the launch. "I’m heading to the Great State of Texas to watch the launch of the largest object ever to be elevated, not only to Space, but simply by lifting off the ground," Trump tweeted before making his way to the launch site.
At 4 p.m. local time, the Starship lifted off after successfully firing up its 33 Raptor engines, conducting what Musk described as two-stage operations. The Super Heavy booster, which is the bottom stage of the rocket, is symbolic of SpaceX's ambitious plan to create reusable rockets. Unfortunately, just minutes after it detached from the spacecraft, SpaceX decided not to attempt the catch utilizing the launch tower's mechanical arms, referred to as 'Mechazilla,' encountering what they termed 'unhealthy systems' on both the booster and the tower. SpaceX attributed the decision to automated health checks of the hardware.
SpaceX has had fleeting success with this system; during the previous flight test on October 13, they successfully caught the booster mid-air with mechanical arms, demonstrating the feasibility of reusable recovery systems, which the company hopes will streamline future space travel. During this latest test, the booster’s unsuccessful catch does not take away from the other achievements of the flight, though, such as reigniting one of Starship’s engines mid-flight, another first for the program.
NASA's Artemis program—which aims to return humans to the moon and might also serve as the stepping stone for Mars missions—relies heavily on the success of the Starship system. The spacecraft, which is about 400 feet tall, can carry numerous passengers or cargo for deep-space missions. With its innovative heat shield and enhanced reentry strategies, SpaceX is pushing the technological envelope. During this flight, engineers made significant modifications, including the removal of 2,100 heat shield tiles to gauge Starship's thermal endurance during reentry.
Trump’s attendance was notable as he has maintained a supportive relationship with Musk, buoyed by Musk’s previous donations to Trump’s campaign and the potential for their collaboration within government. Recent announcements from Trump reveal plans for establishing a "Department of Government Efficiency," with Musk at its helm, aiming to optimize federal spending. This department’s oversight and authority, nevertheless, remain unclear.
The Starship filled its purpose beyond just demonstration; after shedding its Super Heavy booster, the spacecraft continued on its path, achieving more than just foundational goals. Following successful execution of maneuvers, the Starship made its way to its splashdown site, successfully landing back off the coast of the Indian Ocean, where previous designs met with difficulties. Bill Nelson, the NASA Administrator, applauded the flight, dubbing it "major progress toward orbital flight."
Looking back, the tests leading up to this flight began years earlier, as SpaceX has gone through various iterations of the Starship design. Previous tests included routine failure but served as significant learning experiences, making data available for refining both hardware and software. For example, the success of the fifth test flight served as validation for catching the booster and paved the way for future flights.
While missing the integral booster catch on this latest test appears to be just another setback for SpaceX, the mission overall is part of the grander scheme of Gwen Shotwell, SpaceX's President, to evolve crewed missions to new frontiers, potentially leading to the establishment of human colonies beyond Earth—a dream previously considered unattainable. Though the details surrounding the booster catch decision during the sixth flight may raise eyebrows, the overall performance of Starship continues to validate the significant investment and technological advancement the company is undertaking.
Overall, Tuesday showcased the operational readiness of SpaceX’s system, paving the way for, as the company would put it, "a fully operational starship" capable of undertaking missions to the Moon and beyond. For Musk, each test flight is not just about success, but also about learning from setbacks and using this data to inform and redefine the vision for their expansive exploration missions. Looking forward, SpaceX eagerly anticipates upcoming launches, as each flight brings the aim of consistent progress incrementally closer to realizing their once-distant visions of interplanetary travel.
