Starship launch as it happened: SpaceX aborts ‘chopstick’ catch of world’s biggest rocket
Watch a live stream of today’s SpaceX launch in Texas at the top of the blog below
SpaceX aborted an attempt to catch its Starship rocket on Tuesday in a blow to Elon Musk’s Mars ambitions.
The sixth Starship flight test saw SpaceX once again attempt to catch the rocket’s Super Heavy booster using “chopstick” arms at the launch tower at the company’s Starbase facility in Boca Chica, Texas.
Measuring 120-metres-tall, Starship is the biggest rocket ever built, capable of carrying up to 100 people. SpaceX hopes to use it to ferry crew and cargo across the solar system, aiming to establish a permanent human colony on Mars by 2050.
Tuesday’s launch was uncrewed, with the failed catch of the booster followed by a successful splashdown of the upper stage Starship rocket in the Indian Ocean. Other objectives for the mission were also completed, including a first in-space burn using a single Raptor engine.
The 30-minute launch window opened at 4pm local time (10pm GMT), with a live stream broadcast beginning 40 minutes before lift-off.
SpaceX plans to build a new Starship ‘every eight hours'
Elon Musk has previously spoken of his ambition to build a fleet of hundreds of Starships every year in order to ferry thousands of people throughout the solar system.
SpaceX has just revealed that it is currently in the process of hiring engineers to meet its goal of building a new Starship rocket “every eight hours”. This is an unprecedented task, with each rocket measuring 121 metres.
It is the biggest rocket ever built - here’s how Starship stacks up against other massive rockets.
Musk welcomes Trump to Texas
We’re getting the first images of SpaceX boss Elon Musk welcoming President-elect Donald Trump to watch today’s launch.
It is not the first SpaceX launch that Trump has attended, having previously watched the firm’s first crewed flight from Cape Canaveral, Florida, during his first presidential term.
The pair weren’t so close as they are now, with Musk hoping that his strong support for Trump during his campaign will translate into favourable regulation and government funding for his Mars ambitions.
SpaceX says to expect problems
With just 10 minutes to go until launch, there’s already more than 1.5 million people watching the live stream.
It should be a similar sight to Starship Flight 5 last month, though SpaceX has warned that it will be pushing the craft to its limit in order to intentionally discover any potential issues with the rocket.
“We’d much rather find the bugs and limits now during testing [rather] than later when there’s more on the line,” says SpaceX’s commentator.
BREAKING: SpaceX launches Starship rocket
We have lift off for Starship Flight 6!
Starship stage separation complete
The two stages of the Starship rocket have successfully separated - which has been a problem in the past.
The Super Heavy booster is now on its way back to Earth, while the main Starship rocket continues into space.
‘No go for the catch'
SpaceX has said it will not be attempting to catch the Super Heavy booster with the launch tower chopsticks.
“The safety of the teams and the public and the pad itself are paramount, so we’re accepting no compromises in those areas,” SpaceX says.
I wonder if the presence of the next president of the United States in the vicinity had any influence on that decision.
Super Heavy booster rocket splashes down in Gulf of Mexico
After the aborted catch attempt at the launch tower, the Super Heavy booster instead ended up splashing down in the Gulf of Mexico.
The main Starship rocket is still on its way around the planet, set to attempt to splash down in the Indian Ocean in around 35 minutes.
SpaceX prepares for Starship reentry
SpaceX is minutes away from attempting the Starship reentry. After that it will perform a flip manoeuvre before carrying out a soft splash down into the Indian Ocean.
If it’s anything like the previous attempts, it will be an impressive sight and a significant test of the craft’s heat shields.
SpaceX warns of ‘whack-a-doodle stuff'
“Don’t be surprised if we see some whack-a-doodle stuff here,” SpaceX says over the live stream, warning viewers that it will be testing Starship to its limits during its reentry.
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