New images of the Starship flight test on Sunday (October 13) look like stunning abstract art from space.
SpaceX released the images late Tuesday (October 15) to mark the fifth test flight of its massive Starship rocket, which saw the spacecraft’s super-heavy first stage picked up by the launch tower’s “chopsticks” seven minutes after liftoff.
The spacecraft’s upper stage – known as the spacecraft, or simply the ship – performed a suborbital spaceflight for about an hour before landing in the Indian Ocean as planned. The latest images from SpaceX were sent back to Earth via the company’s Starlink internet satellites, showing the spacecraft at various stages of its mission.
SpaceX officials shared the images on X, formerly Twitter, owned by Elon Musk – the founder and CEO of SpaceX. “Spacecraft in 5th flight test. Views powered by @Starlink,” Brief post He reads.
Related to: Elon Musk says SpaceX plans to catch the spacecraft’s upper stage using ‘chopsticks’ in early 2025
Musk reposted the latest photos on X but did not make any comments. However, he did share plenty of footage and reactions to the spacecraft’s recent flight. “Sometimes, things work out after all,” Musk he joked in one post on Tuesday, referring to the very heavy fishing with “chopsticks” on the launch tower.
SpaceX aims to go one step further with Starship in the near future, and Musk has pledged to go one step further Share on X.
On top of tearing apart Super Heavy in about seven minutes, SpaceX wants to catch up with the 165-foot (50-meter) ship after that spacecraft completes its work.
Musk did not reveal the exact timing, but said he hopes this achievement will come “early next year.”
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