The rocket launched as planned, with the upper stage completing a partial orbit around Earth and landing in the Indian Ocean. The booster was redirected to the Gulf of Mexico, where it exploded upon hitting the water.
Super Heavy begins its descent and crashes into the Gulf of Mexico | Photo: @SpaceX/X
On Tuesday, November 19, SpaceX conducted the sixth test flight of the Starship rocket at the Boca Chica complex in Texas. U.S. President-elect Donald Trump was present to observe the event. One of the test objectives was to capture the rocket’s booster stage using mechanical arms on the launch platform, but this goal was not achieved.
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The rocket, regarded as the largest and most powerful ever built, launched as planned, with its upper stage completing a partial orbit around Earth. After reentering the atmosphere, the spacecraft landed in the Indian Ocean. The Super Heavy booster stage, however, was diverted for a controlled landing in the Gulf of Mexico due to unmet technical criteria and exploded upon impact with the water.
SpaceX stated that capturing the booster stage is part of an effort to develop technologies enabling rocket reuse. During the test, other procedures were carried out, including reigniting the Raptor engines in space and testing new thermal protection materials.
Booster stage successfully captured in a previous flight
The same test was conducted in October when SpaceX successfully recovered the booster during Starship's fifth test flight. The recovery was achieved using mechanical arms, known as "Mechazilla," mid-air, eliminating the need for controlled landings. This advance facilitates faster preparation for new launches.
In that flight, the rocket's upper stage proceeded to space while the booster was recovered using this technology. SpaceX is developing these systems to reduce operational costs and enable more frequent launches.
These tests are part of a broader plan that includes future crewed missions to the Moon and Mars. The company is involved in NASA’s Artemis program, which aims to return astronauts to the lunar surface. SpaceX continues experimenting to improve rocket reusability and advance new projects in the space sector.