SpaceX’s Sixth Starship test a success despite aborted booster catch

SpaceX launched its sixth Starship test flight from Starbase in Boca Chica, Texas on Tuesday. The mission, although partially successful, highlighted the immense challenges of perfecting the world’s most powerful launch vehicle.

At liftoff, the Super Heavy booster fired up its 33 Raptor engines, propelling the rocket off the pad and into the Earth’s atmosphere. The booster successfully separated from the Starship upper stage approximately three minutes into the flight. However, the booster’s anticipated return to the launch pad for a precision catch by the “chopstick” arms of the launch tower was aborted.

Instead, due to unspecified technical criteria not being met, the booster performed a controlled splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico. SpaceX engineers explained that automated safety protocols prioritized team and public safety, triggering a divert maneuver away from the catch tower.

Successful Starship booster splashdown pic.twitter.com/t8BrUAYXOg
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Meanwhile, the Starship upper stage continued its trajectory, successfully reigniting its engines in space—a critical step for future deorbit burns. The spacecraft reentered Earth’s atmosphere, enduring intense thermal and aerodynamic stresses before executing a soft splashdown over the Indian Ocean.

The mission aimed to push the boundaries of Starship’s capabilities. SpaceX adjusted the reentry profile for the upper stage, intentionally increasing stress on its flaps to collect valuable data on aerodynamic control. Additionally, this flight used an older thermal protection system to test the resilience of the heat shield under extreme conditions.

Despite not achieving the booster catch, SpaceX gathered critical data from the splashdowns and reentry phases. As SpaceX’s Kate Tice explained during the live broadcast, the mission prioritized “discovering the vehicle’s true limits” to refine future designs.

SpaceX continues to iterate rapidly on the Starship system, with plans to integrate significant upgrades for the seventh test flight. These enhancements include larger propellant tanks, redesigned flaps, and improved heat shield technology. Musk has emphasized that these tests are crucial steps toward making space travel affordable and sustainable.