SpaceX’s Starship rocket blasted off on a test flight, stretching halfway around the world, this time releasing 20 of the most advanced Starlinks. The launch occurred at the company’s base at the southern tip of Texas.
Test Flight Details
The hourlong journey ended with a splashdown in the Indian Ocean. The spacecraft continued soaring eastward, popping out the Starlinks one by one before reentering. This was the 13th flight of the world’s biggest and most powerful rocket, and the second this year of the new version dubbed V3.
The Starlinks accomplished all their jobs before reentering over the Indian Ocean. After being ejected from the Starship’s dispenser, the Starlinks had just 20 minutes to communicate via lasers and radio before reentering. SpaceX said its engineers made contact and even downloaded data from each one.
NASA monitored the space-skimming flight, a critical step toward using the Starship as a lunar lander for moon crews. SpaceX wants to make sure Starship’s heat shield can withstand the heat of entry before trying to return it to the Starbase launch pad near the Texas-Mexico border.
Original reporting: Dallas TX News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
