SpaceX flies its most powerful Starship yet; NASA is counting on it for the Moon

Texas, May 22. Private space company SpaceX successfully tested its biggest and most advanced Starship (Version 3) on Friday. The flight came just two days after founder Elon Musk announced taking SpaceX public (an IPO).

The flight

Launched from the southern tip of Texas, the giant rocket carried 20 mock Starlink satellites that were released midway through the flight. The roughly hour-long mission travelled halfway around the world and, despite some engine trouble, the vehicle reached its planned destination — the Indian Ocean.

NASA's hopes

NASA badly needs Starship for its Artemis programme. The agency plans to use the vehicle as the lander to put Artemis 4 astronauts on the Moon in 2028. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, present at the launch, said Starship is now one step closer to the Moon.

Technical muscle

Fully stacked, Starship V3 stands 408 feet tall, and its new engines generate 18 million pounds of thrust. The booster features bigger, stronger grid fins and an improved system to feed its 33 main engines. Experts see it as a major leap toward human space exploration.