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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Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 12th of December, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Ukraine has presented the U.S. with a revised 20-point framework to end the war with Russia, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Thursday, adding that the issue of ceding territory remains a major sticking point in negotiations.
World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Thursday that he still hopes the U.S. administration will reconsider its decision to withdraw from the organisation next month, warning that its exit would be a loss for the world.
A new proposal in the U.S. Congress aims to remove decades-old restrictions on American assistance to Azerbaijan, reopening a sensitive debate that has shaped Washington’s role in the region for more than thirty years.
Japan has lifted a tsunami advisory issued after an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.9 hit the country's northeastern region on Friday (12 December), the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said. The JMA had earlier put the earthquake's preliminary magnitude at 6.7.
Iran is preparing to host a multilateral regional meeting next week in a bid to mediate between Afghanistan and Pakistan.
The United States issued new sanctions targeting Venezuela on Thursday, imposing curbs on three nephews of President Nicolas Maduro's wife, as well as six crude oil tankers and shipping companies linked to them, as Washington ramps up pressure on Caracas.
The resignation of Bulgaria's government on Thursday (11 December) puts an end to an increasingly unpopular coalition but is likely to usher in a period of prolonged political instability on the eve of the Black Sea nation's entry into the euro zone.
An extratropical cyclone has caused widespread disruption across Brazil’s São Paulo state, with powerful winds toppling trees and power lines, blocking streets and leaving large parts of the region without electricity.
Britain’s King Charles III said on Friday, 12 December, that his cancer treatment is expected to be reduced in the coming year, using a televised address to urge people across the country to take part in cancer screening programmes, officials confirmed.
Talks aimed at ending the war between Ukraine and Russia are set to continue in Berlin this weekend, with U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff due to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and senior European leaders, a U.S. official said.
Türkiye’s Trade Minister Omer Bolat said Friday that discussions in Washington with U.S. officials have strengthened efforts to expand bilateral trade, moving closer to a $100 billion target.
Lebanon is prepared to demarcate its border with Syria, President Joseph Aoun said on Friday, while noting that the dispute over the Shebaa Farms could be addressed at a later stage.
Greek farmers blocked the Port of Thessaloniki on Friday (12 December) as part of nationwide protests demanding delayed European Union subsidies and compensation for rising production costs and livestock losses.
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