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On Sunday, SpaceX accomplished a remarkable technical achievement by flying a 233-foot rocket booster back to its launch site and catching it mid-air with two massive mechanical arms.
Credit: Reuters
This milestone took place during the fifth test flight of the Starship rocket, marking a significant leap toward the ambitious goals of SpaceX and its founder, Elon Musk, which aim to one day send humans to Mars.
Credit: Reuters
In the near term, NASA has contracted SpaceX for $4 billion to utilize Starship in two upcoming Artemis missions, which will transport astronauts to the moon's surface.
Credit: Reuters
In addition to developing and launching the world’s largest and most powerful rocket, Musk’s company has showcased a crucial technology that enables the vehicle to be fully reusable, allowing it to fly repeatedly with the efficiency of a jetliner rather than a traditional rocket.
Credit: Reuters
Lifting off at 8:25 a.m. Eastern time from SpaceX’s launch site near Brownsville, Texas, the nearly 400-foot rocket featured the upper-stage Starship atop the Super Heavy booster, capable of transporting more than 100 metric tons into orbit.
Credit: Reuters
After the booster successfully pushed Starship upward through the densest part of the atmosphere, it dropped away as Starship continued to head toward space.
Credit: Reuters