SpaceX successfully launched the world's largest rocket, Starship
SpaceX successfully launched the world's largest rocket, Starship, from Texas on Tuesday, achieving significant advancements in spaceflight capabilities. However, the attempt to recover the booster Super Heavy failed, as it splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico instead of landing as planned.
The launch was attended by US President-elect Donald Trump, highlighting the close relationship between him and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk. The 122-meter rocket, intended for lunar landings and Mars missions, took off at 4 pm CT.
The Super Heavy booster detached at 62 km altitude, sending the Starship spacecraft into space. The malfunction during the landing resulted in a massive fireball, as shown on a live stream by a space blogger. Despite this setback, SpaceX had previously demonstrated a successful catch-landing method for Starship, showcasing its reusable design. Musk had described Tuesday's landing attempt as "faster/harder" in a social media post prior to the launch.
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