SpaceX blasted off its 11th Starship test flight on Monday from Texas, marking the final rehearsal before rolling out a souped-up version built for the moon and Mars. 🚀✨
The massive stack—Starship on top of its Super Heavy booster—hit the skies with one clear mission:
- Launch and deploy mock Starlink satellites into orbit 🛰️
- Reignite engines in space for advanced maneuver tests 🔥
- Test heat shield tiles on the fiery trip back to Earth 🥵
Once the upper stage continued its journey, the Super Heavy booster handled a gentle splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico…but then self-destructed as planned, fine-tuning landing engine configs for future missions. 💥
According to acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy, this is "another major step toward landing Americans on the moon's south pole." And he's not kidding—next tests will feature docking adapters and refueling hardware that let two Starships meet up in orbit and share massive amounts of propellant. Think of it as a cosmic pit stop! ⛽🌌
The upgraded Starship prototype is slated for its maiden voyage by late this year or early next. If all goes well, we'll see the first orbital refueling exercise next year, bringing us one leap closer to long-term lunar bases and human boots on Mars. Get ready—space exploration is leveling up! 🌕🔭
Reference(s):
SpaceX completes 11th Starship test before debuting upgraded prototype
cgtn.com
