Friday's 15th test flight of Starship proceeded with a significant setback when SpaceX abandoned its plan to catch both rocket stages. The Super Heavy booster, detecting a guidance and navigation issue, opted out of returning to the launch tower and instead splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico. The upper stage, Ship 42, performed as intended and entered orbit.
Lifting off from Starbase at 4:47pm local time, the booster was scheduled to return to the pad approximately six minutes later. According to SpaceX commentator Dan Huot on the company's webcast, the booster independently cancelled the catch after identifying a guidance and navigation problem. It transitioned to an offshore landing sequence and exploded moments before impact with the water, Spaceflight Now reported.
Ship 42 successfully reached orbit and released 26 Starlink satellites, Spaceflight Now confirmed. The upper stage is expected to return to Starbase in Texas on Saturday, where SpaceX will make its first-ever attempt to capture an upper stage using the tower's mechanical arms.
SpaceX has previously caught a Super Heavy booster on three occasions. However, neither the newer, larger version 3 booster nor any upper stage has been caught before.
This marks only the second time Starship has achieved orbit. During its initial orbital flight in September, an engine failure prompted SpaceX to terminate the mission early and direct the ship toward the ocean.
The current flight plan calls for Ship 42 to remain in orbit for approximately 22 hours and complete roughly 14 circuits around Earth, according to UPI. SpaceX retains the option to end the flight prematurely and direct the vehicle into the ocean should any complications develop.
Successfully capturing the upper stage represents a crucial milestone toward achieving a fully reusable rocket system. SpaceX has indicated that this capability is essential for reducing launch expenses and enabling missions to the Moon and Mars.
Source: The Next Web
