
SpaceX, led by Elon Musk, launched its Starship rocket from Texas on Tuesday, marking progress in space exploration despite a setback with its booster landing. The mission was watched closely by President-elect Donald Trump, signalling his growing alliance with Musk.
The massive 400-foot-tall Starship, designed to carry astronauts to the Moon and Mars, lifted off from Boca Chica, Texas, at 4pm CT. Its Super Heavy booster, responsible for propelling the rocket to space, separated at 40 miles above the Earth.
However, instead of a precision landing on a catch tower, the booster veered off course and splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico, erupting into a fiery explosion.
SpaceX Starship launch
The flight still achieved key goals. Starship successfully restarted its engine in space for the first time, a crucial step for future missions.
It orbited Earth before splashing down safely in the Indian Ocean. Musk had shared high hopes for the mission, calling it a test of new technologies to make space travel faster and reusable.
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Trump, who recently appointed Musk to co-lead a government efficiency project, was on-site to witness the historic event. Musk has been a vocal supporter of Trump, with expectations of favourable policies for the space and tech industries under the new administration.
SpaceX aims to speed up Starship development, aligning with NASA's plans to return astronauts to the Moon and eventually land humans on Mars. This mission highlighted the growing potential of reusable rockets, an important part of Musk’s vision to transform space travel.