SpaceX launched its Starship rocket from Texas on Tuesday, watched by U.S. President Donald Trump. While the mission reached space, the booster failed to land as planned, splashing down in the Gulf of Mexico and exploding. The rest of the mission was successful.
Elon Musk's SpaceX successfully launched its Starship rocket from Texas on Tuesday, advancing its space exploration goals. However, the mission faltered when the booster failed to land as planned, with US President Donald Trump present at the company's facilities.
The 400-foot (122-metre) rocket, designed to carry astronauts to the Moon and Mars, lifted off at 4 p.m. CT (2200 GMT) from SpaceX’s Boca Chica site. The first-stage booster, known as Super Heavy, detached from the Starship second stage at around 40 miles (62 km) altitude, sending the spacecraft into orbit.
Instead of landing as intended on a platform near the launch site, the Super Heavy booster splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico, with live footage showing it exploding into a fireball after hitting the water. SpaceX had hoped to demonstrate a faster and more efficient landing technique, building on a successful landing method from last month. Musk had previously described this catch-landing as ‘faster/harder’ before the launch.
Despite the booster's failure, the rest of the mission proceeded as planned. Trump’s presence at the event underscored his growing alliance with Musk, who is expected to wield significant influence in the coming years. Musk, the world’s richest person, has been a prominent supporter of Trump’s campaign, providing substantial financial backing and appearing at rallies.
On 13 November, Trump appointed Musk as co-leader of a government efficiency initiative aimed at reducing wasteful spending and regulations. This marks another step in the close relationship between the two, with Musk poised to gain further government support for his ventures.
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