🚀 SpaceX's Starship Soars Once More, But Booster Catch Skipped! 🌟
SpaceX has done it again! On Tuesday, the aerospace pioneers launched their mighty Starship rocket from Texas. But this time, they decided to skip catching the booster with those giant mechanical arms (yep, the ones nicknamed \"chopsticks\" 🥢).
Unlike the successful catch last month, this booster took a dive into the Gulf of Mexico. Just four minutes into the flight, the team called off the booster catch for reasons still under wraps. Three minutes later, splashdown! 🌊
According to SpaceX spokesperson Dan Huot, \"Not all of the criteria for a booster catch were met, so the flight director did not command the booster to return to the launch site.\" Mysterious, right? 🤔
Meanwhile, the sleek and shiny Starship spacecraft continued its epic journey. Skimming the edge of space, it made a near-loop around the globe, much like the October test flight. Its mission ended with a controlled descent into the Indian Ocean after an hour-long voyage. Talk about a world tour! 🗺️
This flight wasn't just for show. SpaceX is pushing the boundaries to get astronauts back to the Moon 🌕 and even to Mars! 😱 They tweaked the flight path, launching in the late afternoon to catch some daylight on the other side of the planet. Gotta get those Insta-worthy pics! 📸
They also tested igniting one of the spacecraft's engines in space—a must for future returns from orbit. Plus, they experimented with thermal protection, stripping some heat tiles to see how the craft holds up. Science at its coolest! 🔥
With even more upgrades planned for the next test flight, the sky isn't the limit—it's just the beginning. We can't wait to see what SpaceX cooks up next! 🌌
Reference(s):
SpaceX launches Starship rocket but aborts booster catch attempt
cgtn.com
