SpaceX Starship's Successful Flight 4 Mission

Starship Flight 4 Achieves Key Milestones

Monday, May 16, 2023

SpaceX's Starship megarocket has successfully launched on an uncrewed test flight to orbit and back, achieving several key milestones for the first time. The launch took place at 8 am EDT (1200 GMT) from the company's Starbase test site near Boca Chica Beach in Texas.

The Starship spacecraft, known as Ship 29, successfully separated from the Super Heavy booster and reached orbit. It then performed a series of maneuvers, including a re-entry burn and a splashdown in the Indian Ocean.

"Today was nothing short of extraordinary," said Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX. "This is the first time that a Starship vehicle has successfully survived atmospheric re-entry and landing."

The Starship is a fully reusable transportation system designed to carry both crew and cargo to Earth orbit and beyond. The successful Flight 4 mission is a major step forward in SpaceX's ambitious plans to make space travel more affordable and accessible.