Watch SpaceX’s Starship splash down in Indian Ocean at end of fifth test

SpaceX’s Super Heavy rocket was nan prima of nan show during past week’s trial formation after being successfully caught by nan motorboat tower’s elephantine mechanical arms astatine nan first attempt.

Minutes earlier, nan Super Heavy booster had deployed nan upper-stage Starship spacecraft to orbit arsenic portion of nan 5th trial formation of nan world’s astir powerful rocket.

While we’ve heard little astir it, nan spacecraft besides enjoyed a chaotic ride, coasting to nan different broadside of nan world from nan motorboat tract successful Boca Chica, Texas, earlier performing a landing pain and coming down successful nan Indian Ocean. Even better, it descended precisely to SpaceX’s targeted landing spot, pinch a camera-equipped buoy successful spot to grounds its last pain and splashdown astir 65 minutes aft launch. You tin watch Starship’s last moments successful nan video below:

Starship flip maneuver and landing pain connected its 5th formation test. Vehicle improvements ensured flaps were protected from precocious heating, resulting successful a controlled introduction and precocious accuracy splashdown astatine nan targeted area successful nan Indian Ocean pic.twitter.com/nLIQLLVMv1

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) October 18, 2024

“Starship executed different successful hot-staging separation, igniting its six Raptor engines and completing ascent into outer space,” nan Elon Musk-led institution said successful a connection accompanying nan precocious shared footage. “It coasted on its planned trajectory to nan different broadside of nan satellite earlier executing a controlled reentry, passing done nan phases of highest heating and maximum aerodynamic pressure, earlier executing a flip, landing burn, and splashdown astatine its target area successful nan Indian Ocean.”

In a station connected its website, SpaceX said nan squad down nan Starship’s astir caller trial formation should “take pridefulness successful nan engineering feat they conscionable accomplished. The world witnessed what nan early will look for illustration erstwhile Starship starts carrying unit and cargo to destinations connected Earth, nan moon, Mars, and beyond.”

In an upcoming trial flight, SpaceX said it plans to drawback nan Starship spacecraft successful nan aforesaid measurement that it secured nan Super Heavy booster during its astir caller test. The spacecraft besides has nan capacity of landing upright connected nan ground, a feat it will person to execute erstwhile it reaches different celestial bodies, including nan satellite arsenic portion of the Artemis III mission presently scheduled for 2026 and which will impact returning humans to nan lunar surface.