SpaceX Launches Starship, world’s largest rocket, with Trump and Musk watching; booster fails to land
SpaceX launched its giant Starship rocket from Boca Chica, Texas, on Tuesday, marking a key milestone in space exploration. The event was witnessed by US President-elect Donald Trump and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, signaling a strong connection between the two. Musk, a supporter of Trump’s presidential campaign, recently joined a government efficiency initiative.
The 122-meter rocket system is designed for lunar and Mars missions. The launch took place at 4 pm CT (3:30 am IST on Wednesday). The 71-meter Super Heavy booster detached from Starship at 62 km altitude, sending the spacecraft into orbit.
Unfortunately, the booster failed to land. It was supposed to return and be caught by tower-mounted arms, but instead, it splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico. A live stream captured the moment when the booster exploded into a massive fireball after splashdown.
Earlier, Starship had successfully demonstrated its innovative landing method, a significant step for its reusable design. Musk had mentioned on social media that the catch-landing on Tuesday would be more challenging, making the failure even more significant.
