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SpaceX's Starship V3 deploys most advanced Starlink satellites then pulls off best re-entry yet
Fortune • • business
Key Points:
- SpaceX's Starship, standing 407 feet tall, completed a critical hourlong test flight from Texas, monitored by NASA as a step toward using it as a lunar lander for moon missions.
- The spacecraft successfully deployed Starlink satellites at 124 miles altitude before reentering and splashing down softly in the Indian Ocean, remaining afloat and marking the best reentry yet for Starship.
- Despite some booster engines failing to reignite for a controlled return, causing the booster to crash into the Gulf of Mexico, the main spacecraft performed well, with heat shield sensors and cameras providing valuable data.
- SpaceX aims to ensure Starship's heat shield can withstand reentry heat before attempting to recover the spacecraft at the launch site, supporting NASA's Artemis III mission and Musk's vision for Mars colonization.
- The flight faced delays due to a previous engine abort and weather from Tropical Storm Bertha but ultimately demonstrated significant progress in Starship's development and reusability goals.
