SpaceX has successfully completed the fifth test of its Starship rocket system. The unmanned test took place Sunday at the American Space Company’s launch center in Boca Chica, Texas.
During the flight, the 121-meter-tall Starship was successfully pushed into space by a SpaceX Super Heavy booster rocket. After reaching a height, or altitude, of approximately 70 kilometers, the booster separated from Starship’s second stage, or upper half, as planned.
The reusable booster was then directed by ground controllers to return to the launch center. Before touching down on the landing pad, the rocket reignited three of its 33 Raptor engines to slow the booster down for a controlled landing.
The Super Heavy then positioned itself to land. For the first time, the booster was “captured” and held in place by a huge structure containing a large metal arm. Video of the landing provided by SpaceX shows the booster rocket snapping onto the structure exactly as planned.
Moments later, Starship’s second stage crashed safely into the Indian Ocean. The successful test flight and landing demonstrated the progress of SpaceX’s Starship system.
The American space agency NASA plans to use Starship to carry the next American astronaut to the moon. This will be the first such landing since NASA’s Apollo 17 in 1972.
The next moon landing, which NASA officials have set for September 2026, is part of NASA’s Artemis program. Artemis also aims to establish a permanent base around the moon to support continued lunar visits and future trips to Mars.
SpaceX was chosen to lead NASA’s moon landing program after a number of successful demonstrations and missions in recent years. The company’s rockets and spacecraft have reliably transported astronauts and supplies to the International Space Station (ISS) since 2020.
NASA has also selected American aerospace company Boeing as a potential partner for the Artemis program. However, the company’s Starliner rocket has faced significant delays and difficulties during past test flights.
In its last spaceflight, Starliner successfully transported two American astronauts, Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, to the ISS in early June. Their stay in space was expected to last just one week. However, continued technical problems with the Starliner spacecraft prevented the return.
NASA recently decided to return Starliner to Earth without astronauts. The plan is for Wilmore and Williams to return from the ISS on SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft in February.
Before SpaceX’s latest mission, several Starship rockets exploded during test flights. The last non-explosive test took place in June. During that flight, SpaceX reported that there was some damage to the heat-resistant tiles on Starship’s exterior. However, the improvements made since then appear to have been successful.
After Sunday’s flight, SpaceX Chief Executive Elon Musk said the rocket appeared to be in generally good condition, with some outer engine parts only slightly warped from the heat. He pointed out that those parts are easy to fix.
Musk is also the head of social media service X. On the service, the Starship booster rocket returned to the launch area and expressed excitement when it was “caught” in the structure. SpaceX calls the giant metal arms that capture and hold booster rockets on the ground “chopsticks” because they move like eating utensils.
“The tower caught the rocket!!” Musk said in a message about X, adding, “Today, a big step towards multi-planetary life was taken.”
The successful test flight was also praised by NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. “Congratulations to @SpaceX on today’s successful booster capture and fifth Starship flight test!” Nelson wrote. “Continued testing will prepare NASA and its partners for a series of “bold missions” in the future, he added.
I’m Brian Lin.
Brian Lin wrote this article for VOA Learning English based on reporting from The Associated Press, Reuters, AFP and SpaceX.
Quiz – SpaceX successfully tests new spacecraft, captures rocket during landing
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words of this story
booster – n. a spacecraft engine that provides additional power during the first part of the flight
pad –n. A flat structure used for launching or landing on flying vehicles such as rockets and helicopters
splashdown –v. (phrase) when a spacecraft lands in the ocean after returning from space
Tile – n. A flat material used to cover surfaces such as floors, roofs, walls, etc.
warp – v. to bend into the wrong shape;
Chopsticks – hmm. Consider that sticks are used to eat food in many parts of the world
tower – n. a very tall building or part of a building
Bold – adjective. not afraid to take risks
