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Sticking the Landing

Writer's picture: 389country389country

SpaceX successfully completed the fifth test flight of its uncrewed Starship space vehicle yesterday, launching from South Texas and splashing down in the Indian Ocean after roughly one hour. It was the second successful launch, flight, and reentry for the world's largest and most powerful rocket. 


The demonstration showcased the world's first-ever "chopstick" landing, in which the 233-foot Super Heavy rocket booster used to propel the Starship into space was caught by two massive mechanical arms extending from the launch tower as it returned to Earth (watch here). The technique marks a major engineering milestone and furthers the company's goal of making its flagship rocket fully reusable, akin to airline operations. It will also significantly lower costs and turnaround time between launches. 


Starship is a key component of current NASA plans to return humans to the moon and prepare for an eventual mission to Mars—a journey CEO Elon Musk says could happen as soon as 2028. Learn about the history of SpaceX here (w/video).

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