Starship launched from Texas for its fifteenth test flight at 16:47 local time on Friday, experiencing a technical problem with its Super Heavy booster that forced SpaceX to abandon a mechanical tower catch.
The lower booster experienced trouble just minutes into the flight, as TV5MONDE – Informations reported. Rather than attempting a risky recovery, SpaceX directed the Super Heavy to fall into the waters near its base where it exploded, after successfully recovering the first stage on three previous test flights.
The Starship spacecraft reached Earth orbit and successfully deployed 26 satellites for the Starlink constellation. NASA administrator Jared Isaacman congratulated SpaceX on X for the spectacular launch.
Isaacman said that Saturday will be a big day due to the expected return of Starship, which coincides with an orbital launch by United Launch Alliance. SpaceX plans to return the spacecraft after more than 22 hours of flight and recover it at the launch site around 15:20 local time.
The maneuver requires the vehicle to slow down after atmospheric reentry and descend toward the pad to be caught by mechanical arms. Kate Tice, a manager at SpaceX, said that the company will only proceed with the recovery if the spacecraft passes all planned checks.
Clayton Swope, an expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told AFP that the overall result is mixed for now. Swope said that Starship reaching Earth orbit for the second time is a very complex achievement.
SpaceX has established production rates that yield a spacecraft every two weeks and a booster every four weeks at Starbase. Reusing the entire rocket system aims to reduce costs and accelerate flight frequencies for future missions to the Moon and Mars.
