Successful Relaunch of the Second Stage Engine in Space
- Launch Date and Time: November 19, 2024, at 11:00 PM CET.
Launch Site: Starbase, Boca Chica, Texas. - Super Heavy Booster:
- Successfully performed a vertical landing in the Gulf of Mexico a few minutes after liftoff.
- In October 2024, during its fifth flight, the booster was recovered on the launch pad using the Mechazilla catching tower.
- The reason why Mechazilla wasn’t used this time remains unclear.
- Starship Spacecraft:
- Landed in the Indian Ocean after one hour of flight.
- Event Significance:
- Marked the first successful relaunch of the second-stage engine in space, a key milestone in Starship’s development.
- Starship Overview:
- A super-heavy rocket approximately 120 meters tall.
- Comprised of two stages: the Super Heavy booster and the Starship spacecraft.
- Designed for future missions to the Moon and Mars.
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- Previous Test Flights:
- April 2023: The first test flight ended with a forced detonation.
- Second Flight: Lasted longer but also required the flight termination system to activate.
- Third Flight: Achieved the first re-entry of the second stage into Earth’s atmosphere.
- Fourth Flight: Both stages were successfully returned to Earth for the first time.