Trump and Musk watch SpaceX Starship launch as booster misses landing

Trump and Musk watch SpaceX Starship launch as booster misses landing

On Tuesday, SpaceX launched its massive Starship rocket into space from Texas, marking a significant step forward in the spacecraft’s capabilities. However, the company faced challenges while attempting to return its booster to land, all while U.S. President-elect Donald Trump observed from the rocket facilities.

A rocket system towering approximately 400 feet (122 meters) has successfully launched, aimed at transporting astronauts to the moon and facilitating crew missions to Mars. The liftoff occurred at 4 p.m. CT (2200 GMT) from SpaceX’s extensive rocket development facility in Boca Chica, Texas.

The first stage booster of the rocket, measuring 233 feet tall (71 meters), known as Super Heavy, successfully detached from its second stage, Starship, at an altitude of approximately 40 miles (62 kilometres), propelling the craft into space.

In a surprising turn of events, Super Heavy made an unanticipated splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico, deviating from its expected trajectory that would have seen it land safely into the mechanical arms of the launch tower. The unexpected shift to water suggests that an issue has arisen.

A live stream, distinct from SpaceX’s official coverage, was conducted by space blogger Everyday Astronaut, capturing the moment the Super Heavy booster erupted into a colossal fireball against the Gulf horizon following its splashdown.

Last month, Starship successfully showcased its innovative catch-landing technique for the first time, marking a significant milestone in developing its reusable design. Before the launch, Musk had stated on social media that Tuesday’s catch-landing was intended to be “faster/harder.”

Following the Starship test on October 14, Trump expressed fascination with the innovative catch-landing technique of the booster. “Did you see the way that sucker landed today?” he remarked during a rally that same day.

The remainder of the mission was a success.

Starship successfully orbited Earth before executing a daytime splashdown in the Indian Ocean approximately one hour later. In a significant development, the spacecraft successfully reignited one of its onboard engines in space for the first time. This marks an early test of its manoeuvrability, a feat that SpaceX had previously attempted but could not achieve in earlier flights.

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, anticipated to step down following Donald Trump’s inauguration in January, extended his congratulations to SpaceX via a post on X. He noted that the successful reignition of Starship’s in-space engine represents “major progress towards orbital flight.”

The presence of Trump at the event indicates a strengthening partnership with Musk, who could gain significantly should Trump secure a victory in the upcoming election. The billionaire entrepreneur, who leads SpaceX and Tesla, is anticipated to exert significant influence to advance his business interests and obtain advantageous government support.

Elon Musk, recognised as the world’s wealthiest individual, played a significant role in supporting Donald Trump’s presidential election campaign. He made appearances alongside Trump at various rallies and provided substantial financial backing, amounting to at least $119 million in political contributions.

In a recent social media post, Trump announced his plans to travel to Texas to launch what he described as the most prominent object ever lifted off the ground and into space. He extended his best wishes to Musk for the upcoming event.

On November 13, Trump appointed Musk as co-leader of a new initiative to enhance government efficiency. The SpaceX founder and Tesla CEO has expressed his commitment to eliminating wasteful spending and what he describes as burdensome regulations within the federal government.

The regulation of commercial rocket launches by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has drawn criticism from Musk, who argues that the agency hinders his company’s efforts to reach Mars.

The FAA’s approval of Tuesday’s Starship launch marks a significant milestone for SpaceX, representing the agency’s fastest regulatory turnaround, occurring just over a month after the rocket’s last flight. This swift decision reflects the FAA’s efforts to establish new launch-approval processes that align with the rapid expansion of the U.S. space industry.

On Tuesday, Musk outlined four primary goals for the upcoming test flight. These include the in-flight restart of Starship’s specialised engine, achieving a daytime ocean landing for improved visibility—contrasting with previous nighttime attempts—subjecting Starship to heightened thermal conditions during reentry, and accelerating the booster landing process.

Musk stated that numerous minor design modifications are currently under evaluation.

SpaceX is poised to make rapid progress in the development of Starship should a second Trump administration take office. The administration’s space agenda is poised to enhance the focus of NASA’s Artemis program, which aims to return astronauts to the lunar surface. It also sets its sights on the more ambitious objective of landing humans on Mars, a primary aspiration for Musk.

At the recent Baron Investment Conference in New York, SpaceX President and COO Gwynne Shotwell announced that the company has surpassed 400 launches with its Falcon rocket. She expressed confidence that SpaceX could achieve 400 launches of its Starship rocket within the next four years.

Share on facebook
Facebook
Share on whatsapp
WhatsApp
Share on twitter
Twitter
Share on linkedin
LinkedIn

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *