SpaceX starship's fifth test aims at lunar, Mars missions
SpaceX's Starship rocket launched from its base in Boca Chica, USA as part of the fifth test. The plan involves the return of the Super Heavy booster to the launch site and a water landing of the Starship in the Indian Ocean. This mission is crucial for future flights to the Moon and Mars.
During this test, the company intended to manage the return of the Super Heavy booster to the launch site, attempting to capture it, and to land the Starship in the Indian Ocean, west of Australia.
Construction and goals of Starship
The Starship rocket comprises two main parts: the Super Heavy booster and the Starship. Its purpose is not only to launch heavy payloads into orbit at reduced costs, but also to play a pivotal role in future missions to the Moon and Mars. Elon Musk, the founder of SpaceX, believes that Starship can facilitate regular transportation connections with the Moon. The colonisation of Mars is also anticipated for the future. NASA has high expectations for the SpaceX project, planning to send astronauts to the Moon as part of the Artemis 3 mission in 2026.
Course of previous attempts
So far, there have been four tests of the mega rocket. The first one, in April 2023, ended with the explosion of the spacecraft about four minutes after launch, as it failed to separate from the Super Heavy booster. Another attempt in November 2023 also failed—the upper stage of the rocket detached but then exploded.
During the third flight in March 2024, Starship re-entered the atmosphere from outer space, providing engineers with valuable data despite the destruction of the spacecraft. In the fourth test on 6 June, the booster separated as planned, falling into the Gulf of Mexico, and the Starship survived re-entry and splashdown.
