SpaceX launches massive Starship V3 rocket on test flight

Reuters

Elon Musk's SpaceX has launched the biggest-ever Starship rocket a day after its highly anticipated test flight was delayed.

The uncrewed Starship V3 rocket blasted off from its launchpad in Texas just after 17:30 (2230 GMT) on Friday, days after SpaceX revealed plans for a record-breaking stock market debut.

The test flight ended after about an hour later when Starship splashed down into the Indian Ocean and exploded as planned. "Congratulations @SpaceX team on an epic first Starship V3 launch & landing!" Musk posted on his X platform. "You scored a goal for humanity."

The first attempted launch on Thursday was postponed due to a malfunctioning hydraulic pin in the launch tower.

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The SpaceX team celebrated after the launch of the most powerful and tallest rocket ever, and while the mission achieved most of its major objectives, it did not go exactly to plan.

SpaceX spokesperson Dan Huot said the booster failed to complete its so-called boost-back burn after launch.

One of Starship's engines also malfunctioned, which forced a slightly longer burn from the remaining five to compensate. While it did not fly into exactly the correct orbit, Huot said it was travelling along a trajectory that was "within bounds".

"I wouldn't call it nominal orbital insertion," Huot said.

Nasa Administrator Jared Isaacman congratulated Musk and the SpaceX team.

"One step closer to the Moon… one step closer to Mars," he posted on X.

During its suborbital cruise phase, Starship successfully released its payload of 20 mock Starlink satellites, along with two satellites that scanned its heat shield and sent data back to the ground during the its descent.

It was the 12th flight of a SpaceX rocket, and this time featured its latest design which stands 124 meters (407 feet) high.

The debut of the Starship V3 comes ahead of SpaceX's initial public offering (IPO), which is set to be the largest in Wall Street history. It could start next month.

Because of the shares Musk will own in SpaceX, which values itself at $1.25tn, the listing could make him the first-ever trillionaire.

SpaceX not only makes rockets, but has a satellite internet service called Starlink, and owns the controversial artificial intelligence (AI) firm xAI.