SpaceX completes first Starship test flight since IPO
The test flight marked several key milestones for SpaceX, including deploying 20 of its next generation Starlink satellites into orbit for the first time before they were intentionally deorbited.
SpaceX completed its 13th test flight of its Starship rocket on Friday night after aborting a test launch last week, the first completed launch since the company went public last month.
The test flight marked several key milestones for SpaceX, including deploying 20 of its next generation Starlink satellites into orbit for the first time before they were intentionally deorbited. The satellites are designed to be larger and more powerful than previous generations and the test allowed the company to see how the satellites would perform in flight for the first time.
SpaceX said in a statement that the Super Heavy booster separated from Starship as planned but made a “hard splashdown” in the Gulf after only some of its engines reignited during the landing burn. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said that the rocket’s next test might be even more advanced. “Unless we discover problems after mission data review, SpaceX will attempt to catch the ship with the tower on next flight,” he wrote on X.
Starship is central to SpaceX’s ambitions to dramatically expand its Starlink network and support future missions with NASA. Shares of the rocket company have been trending lower in recent weeks and is now well below the initial public offering price of $135 last week.