Elon Musk’s SpaceX launched the massive Starship rocket from Texas on Tuesday. The company showcased its advanced spaceflight capabilities in the presence of US President-elect Donald Trump at its Boca Chica facility. The nearly 400-foot rocket, designed for moon landings and Mars missions, took off successfully at 4 p.m. CT.
The mission encountered a hiccup when the 233-foot Super Heavy booster failed to land as planned after detaching at approximately 62 kilometres. Instead of mechanical arms catching it on its launch tower, it splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico and exploded, as Everyday Astronaut’s live stream showed.
8 minutes to liftoff of Starship!
https://t.co/Ngu7VnFsh9
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 19, 2024Despite this setback, the mission reached significant milestones, including the first in-space ignition of Starship’s engine, marking a major step toward orbital flight. This manoeuvre showcased the spacecraft’s capability to navigate in space, a skill SpaceX had been working diligently to perfect.
Meanwhile, NASA chief Bill Nelson, who will soon leave his position due to the upcoming Trump administration, recognized this progress on his X account, celebrating the successful engine re-ignition.
BREAKING: President-elect Donald Trump meets with Elon Musk ahead of SpaceX’s Starship test launch later tonight
Watch the launch in full: https://t.co/S992tMew13
📺 Sky 501, Virgin 602, Freeview 233 and YouTube pic.twitter.com/N0JKSsoiia
— Sky News (@SkyNews) November 19, 2024Trump’s presence highlighted a strengthening partnership with Musk, who has significantly supported Trump’s campaign and is about to co-lead a government efficiency project. This project aims to cut wasteful federal spending and regulations, mirroring Musk’s critique of the regulatory hurdles to space exploration.
The Federal Aviation Administration, adapting to the rapid pace of the space industry, swiftly approved the launch, reflecting improved regulatory processes to support continued innovation.
Donald Trump is the first U.S. President to attend a SpaceX Starship launch. 🇺🇸
pic.twitter.com/DibTTRH4CD
— Tiffany Fong (@TiffanyFong_) November 19, 2024Musk highlighted four primary objectives for the test flight: restarting Starship’s engine in space, ensuring a daytime ocean landing for better visibility, enduring more intense reentry heat, and achieving a quicker booster landing. This launch is part of SpaceX’s ambitious plan to accelerate Starship development during Trump’s second term, focusing on Mars colonization as part of NASA’s Artemis program.
Gwynne Shotwell, SpaceX President and COO noted the company’s rapid progression, suggesting the possibility of achieving 400 Starship launches in the next four years. This echoes the company’s aggressive pursuit of space exploration milestones.
