SpaceX CEO Elon Musk stood with President elect Donald Trump watching the launch of the world’s most powerful rocket. On Tuesday the sixth test flight of the Super Heavy Starship took place. The latest SpaceX spacecraft system is massive, measuring nearly 400 feet tall.
Musk who campaigned with Trump has been tasked with Vivek Ramaswamy to lead the newly proposed Department of Government Efficiency.
The mission demonstrated SpaceX’s continued progress in reusable rocket technology, pushing the boundaries of space exploration.
Super Heavy Starship had Major Upgrades
In preparation for the launch, SpaceX overhauled the Starship’s heatshield.
According to the company, this involved a “complete rework” of the thermal protection system, with technicians investing over 12,000 hours to install next-generation tiles, a backup ablative layer, and enhanced protections around the flap structures.
The Super Heavy system, featuring the Starship spacecraft mounted atop the Super Heavy booster, successfully lifted off around 5 p.m. ET from SpaceX’s Starbase facility near Brownsville, Texas.
Mechazilla and the Aborted Booster Catch
As part of SpaceX’s ambitious plan, the booster was designed to return to Earth and be caught mid-air by the “Mechazilla,” the nickname for the massive metal arms on the launch and landing structure.
