SpaceX, led by Elon Musk, achieved a major milestone with the sixth test flight of its colossal Starship rocket early Wednesday. The rocket lifted off from SpaceX’s Starbase in South Texas at 5:00 p.m. EST (3:30 IST). The 397-foot-tall rocket, the largest and most powerful in the world, made a successful splashdown but failed to repeat its previous booster catch maneuver.
The test featured several firsts, including igniting a Raptor engine in space, a crucial step for executing orbital maneuvers. It also carried Starship’s first payload—a plush banana as a zero-gravity indicator. This success demonstrates Starship’s readiness for atmospheric reentry and orbital missions.
The fifth flight, conducted last month, had captured the booster mid-air using the “chopstick arms.” However, during this flight, SpaceX called off the catch due to unspecified technical issues, instead directing the booster to land in the Gulf of Mexico. “We tripped a commit criteria,” explained SpaceX commentator Dan Huot.
Another key focus was testing modifications to Starship’s heat shield and a higher-angle descent to stress flap controls. The landing burn was smooth, with no explosions after the booster splashdown.
Musk, sharing updates on X (formerly Twitter), highlighted the progress: “Successful ocean landing of Starship! We will do one more ocean landing of the ship. If that goes well, then SpaceX will attempt to catch the ship with the tower.”
This test comes as preparations intensify for Starship’s role in NASA’s Artemis 3 mission, slated for 2026, which aims to return astronauts to the Moon. With these advancements, SpaceX is steadily moving toward a new era of interplanetary exploration.
