SpaceX’s Starship rocket marked a milestone in its ambitious spaceflight program on Tuesday, launching from its development site in Boca Chica, Texas, in front of an audience that included U.S. President-elect Donald Trump. While the launch demonstrated significant progress, the test wasn’t without its setbacks, as the booster failed to complete its planned catch-landing.
Standing at an imposing 400 feet (122 meters), Starship aims to revolutionise space travel with its reusable design and potential to ferry astronauts to the moon and Mars. Liftoff occurred at 4 p.m. CT (2200 GMT), with the rocket’s first-stage booster, Super Heavy, separating from its second stage at approximately 40 miles (62 km) in altitude.
The Super Heavy booster, however, splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico instead of being caught by mechanical arms attached to the launch tower. A livestream hosted by space blogger Everyday Astronaut revealed the booster exploding in a fiery spectacle after hitting the water, a deviation from SpaceX’s usual reusability ambitions.
“Today’s booster landing was supposed to be ‘faster/harder,’” SpaceX CEO Elon Musk wrote before the launch, acknowledging the increased complexity of the test.
President-elect Donald Trump, who watched the launch from SpaceX’s facilities, has shown a growing interest in Musk’s space ambitions. Trump previously lauded Starship’s reusability milestone during a rally, calling it a “game-changer.” His presence at Tuesday’s launch signals a deepening partnership with Musk, a prominent supporter of Trump’s recent election campaign.
“I’m heading to the Great State of Texas to watch the launch of the largest object ever to be elevated, not only to Space, but simply by lifting off the ground,” Trump wrote on social media ahead of the event, wishing Musk luck.
Musk and Trump’s alliance has grown stronger in recent weeks. The billionaire has been appointed co-leader of Trump’s government efficiency project, aimed at cutting federal waste and streamlining regulations—initiatives that could benefit Musk’s ventures, including SpaceX and Tesla.
Despite the booster setback, SpaceX successfully tested several other objectives. Starship’s second stage reignited its space-tailored engine in orbit for the first time, a critical step in demonstrating in-space manoeuvrability. The craft also completed a daytime re-entry splashdown in the Indian Ocean, marking progress toward future crewed missions.
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, whose role is likely to end when Trump takes office, congratulated SpaceX on social media, calling the in-space engine reignition “major progress towards orbital flight.”
Musk outlined four key goals for the test flight: restarting Starship’s engine during flight, achieving a visible ocean landing in daylight, testing the vehicle under more intense heat during re-entry, and refining the booster’s rapid landing process.
“There are thousands of small design changes also being tested,” Musk noted.
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which oversees commercial rocket launches, granted approval for Tuesday’s launch just over a month after the previous test flight—its fastest regulatory turnaround for SpaceX. The agency is working to streamline its approval processes to keep pace with the burgeoning U.S. space industry.
Musk has frequently criticised the FAA for what he perceives as bureaucratic delays. However, the quick approval for this test flight hints at improving relations, particularly as the Trump administration plans to prioritise space exploration, including NASA’s Artemis program.
As SpaceX continues Starship’s development, company President Gwynne Shotwell expressed optimism for the rocket’s trajectory. Speaking at an event last week, she said, “We just passed 400 launches on Falcon, and I would not be surprised if we fly 400 Starship launches in the next four years.”