SpaceX Starship V3 Deploys Starlinks, Achieves Soft Splashdown

SpaceX's Starship rocket launched on Friday for a test flight that carried it halfway around the world, successfully deploying 20 of the latest Starlink satellites. The 407-foot (124-meter) rocket lifted off from SpaceX's Texas facility. NASA observed the flight, which is crucial for Starship's potential use as a lunar lander. The mission concluded with a remarkably gentle splashdown in the Indian Ocean, where the spacecraft remained afloat, prompting cheers from SpaceX employees. This flight marked the 13th for the Starship program and the second for the V3 version. SpaceX had previously replaced six engines on the first-stage booster following an engine failure during a launch abort the previous week. While all engines ignited at liftoff this time, insufficient engine relights prevented a controlled return of the booster on a prior flight, leading to a rapid descent into the Gulf of Mexico. The Starship spacecraft, however, continued its eastward trajectory, releasing the Starlinks at an altitude of 124 miles (200 kilometers) before re-entering the atmosphere. Neither the booster nor the spacecraft were intended for recovery, with both designed to descend into the sea. The stainless steel spacecraft executed an upright hover over the Indian Ocean before a controlled descent into the water, covering over 10,000 miles (16,000 kilometers) from its launch point. SpaceX described this as their best re-entry yet, with the booster floating intact with minimal flame. Previous missions had ended with the spacecraft exploding or rupturing upon splashdown. SpaceX engineer Kate Tice expressed enthusiasm for the successful mission, referring to it as "lucky flight 13."