SpaceX successfully completed the 14th test flight of its Starship spacecraft on Monday, marking the vehicle’s first successful orbital mission. The launch occurred in the morning, and the ship reached its intended orbit before executing a controlled splashdown in the Pacific Ocean just before noon.
This milestone represents a significant step forward for Elon Musk’s aerospace company as it develops the Starship system, which is designed to enable human missions to the Moon and Mars. The successful flight follows a series of previous tests aimed at refining the vehicle’s performance and reusability capabilities.
Footage of the splashdown was broadcast by ABC News, highlighting the momentous event in the progress of the program. While previous attempts have encountered various challenges, this latest flight achieved all primary objectives, demonstrating the system’s ability to operate in space and return to Earth safely.
Is the splashdown fully autonomous? I am skeptical if they really hit all those primary objectives without manual overrides.
Finally! After so many booms, seeing it actually work makes this feel like a genuine historic turning point.