SpaceX pulls off first Starship recovery from orbit in spectacular fashion
Also reported by Guardian World, BBC World, PBS NewsHour, France24
Summary
SpaceX recovered a Starship upper stage at its Texas launch site after a 22-hour flight in orbit, using mechanical arms on the launch gantry. The Super Heavy booster failed to return because of an engine performance problem and exploded before reaching the ocean.Key Facts
- The Starship upper stage completed the first recovery of a Starship from orbit.
- The spacecraft reentered the atmosphere, restarted three engines to turn upright, and was caught by two mechanical arms.
- SpaceX launched Starship atop a Super Heavy booster from its Starbase facility on the Texas coast.
- The two-stage rocket stands 407 feet tall and produces about 16 million pounds of thrust at liftoff.
- The Super Heavy booster was diverted to an offshore splashdown after a guidance problem and ran out of fuel before reaching the water.
- Elon Musk said a slight underperformance of the booster's engines caused the problem.
- Previous Starship test flights ended with planned ocean splashdowns.
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