On June 6, the most powerful launch vehicle ever built successfully completed its fourth test flight. The launch took place from SpaceX’s Starbase facility in Boca Chica, Texas at 7:50 p.m. Hanoi time. The Starship launch system consists of the Starship spacecraft on the upper stage and the Super Heavy booster rocket, with 32 of the vehicle’s 33 engines firing during launch.
During this test flight, Starship achieved several key milestones, including the Starship capsule remaining intact after experiencing extreme temperatures in the Earth’s atmosphere and both the capsule and boosters landing safely. The Super Heavy booster successfully completed its engine burn for the first time to land in the Gulf of Mexico about 8 minutes after launch, while the Starship capsule flew into orbit and reentered control 50 minutes later. The vehicle’s heat shield, covered with 18,000 ultra-light hexagonal ceramic panels, protected it during reentry.
The test flight was approved just two days after SpaceX received a license from US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Each test flight has a unique goal to enhance the development of the Starship as SpaceX continues to update its hardware and software to build a fully reusable transportation system for carrying passengers and goods to Earth orbit, Moon, Mars and beyond. Despite previous test flight failures, SpaceX remains dedicated to advancing its vision for future missions to Mars through continued development of this powerful launch vehicle.
