SpaceX's Starship Achieves Successful Fourth Test Flight, Lands in Indian Ocean

Jun 7, 2024, 10:29 AM

SpaceX successfully completed the fourth test flight of its Starship rocket, achieving several ambitious goals. The Starship rocket lifted off from Boca Chica, Texas, and successfully landed in the Indian Ocean, marking a significant milestone for the company. This test flight demonstrated the vehicle's ability to control its descent through the atmosphere using its flaps and withstand peak heating and max aerodynamic pressure at hypersonic speeds. The mission also included a controlled reentry and splashdown of the Super Heavy booster in the Gulf of Mexico. Notably, the Starlink video feed stayed on mostly during reentry. This test is central to Elon Musk's vision of sending people to Mars and advancing the reusability of space vehicles. The payload for this test was data collection, which will be crucial for future missions.