SpaceX’s Starship 13. SpaceX
SpaceX‘s Starship Flight 13 surprised viewers by staying in one piece after splashing down in the ocean.
Instead of breaking apart on impact, the spacecraft floated on the water while Starlink kept streaming live video.
Did you expect Starship to survive the splashdown so well?
SpaceX successfully launched its Starship rocket after a launch attempt last week was canceled because several engines failed to start.
The mission, known as Flight 13, achieved several important goals before the upper-stage Starship made a planned splashdown in the Indian Ocean. The Super Heavy booster separated about two minutes after liftoff and also completed a controlled splashdown in the Gulf.
SpaceX’s Starship 13. SpaceX
Flight 13 was the second test of the new Starship V3 design and performed much better than the first V3 flight in May, when multiple engine failures prevented the rocket from completing its planned performance.
Why it matters:
Starship is the rocket SpaceX plans to use for future missions to the Moon, Mars, and large satellite launches. Flight 13 showed clear progress by completing more of its planned objectives and surviving splashdown without breaking apart, suggesting the design is becoming more reliable. Each successful test gives SpaceX valuable data to improve the vehicle and move closer to regular operational flights.
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