Whether Starship test flights finish in explosive failures or valiant successes, SpaceX is putting the identical tune: These are studying experiences. And perfection just isn’t anticipated.
That was made clear in an replace the corporate posted to its web site a number of hours after the conclusion of the Starship spacecraft and Super Heavy booster’s 10th test flight, which was markedly extra profitable than three prior missions.
SpaceX made clear that the Super Heavy booster carried out as meant, making a managed splashdown within the Gulf minutes after liftoff from South Texas.
During the final Starship flight in May, the booster broke aside throughout the identical splashdown try.
And the higher Starship spacecraft, which is designed to in the future carry cargo or people to orbit however flew with solely dummy payloads for this test mission, made a signficiant stride ahead.
The automobile deployed mock satellites for the primary time. It was additionally capable of relight an engine in orbit.
“Moving into the critical reentry phase, Starship was able to gather data on the performance of its heatshield and structure as it was intentionally stressed to push the envelope on vehicle capabilities,” SpaceX’s post-flight recap reads. “Using its four flaps for control, the spacecraft arrived at its splashdown point in the Indian Ocean, successfully executed a landing flip, and completed the flight test with a landing burn and soft splashdown.”
Tonight’s mission will undoubtedly give SpaceX engineers some encouragement after months of setbacks. But the corporate’s closing comment carried the identical tone as statements the corporate has put out after failed test missions: