A SpaceX spacecraft lifts off from Starbase, Texas, as seen from South Padre Island, August 26, 2025. (Photo: Ronaldo Schemidt/AFP via Getty Images)
SpaceX's Starship spacecraft has successfully completed a test launch, marking a major breakthrough for Elon Musk's project.
The 123-meter-tall unmanned rocket, the largest in space history, lifted off from Starbase in Boca Chica, Texas, at 7:30 p.m. ET on August 26.
The craft completed an intense one-hour flight, rising 200 km above the Earth, after which its upper section landed in the Indian Ocean. The first stage, the super-heavy booster, landed in the Gulf of Mexico after separation.
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SpaceX employees applauded the mission's completion. Unlike previous attempts, the rocket used a satellite system to launch Starlink mockups into orbit for the first time.
The 10th test launch was strategic. Starship is critical to Musk’s plans to transport crews, vehicles, and cargo to low Earth orbit, and eventually to the Moon and Mars. The $2.9 billion contract with NASA includes delivering astronauts to the Moon by 2027.
The latest launch, delayed two days by technical problems and bad weather, marked a comeback for the company after a string of failures.
Previous missions ended in explosions: the ninth launch failed to reach its target, the eighth and seventh scattered debris across the Caribbean Sea. In June, the rocket disintegrated on the launch pad. Scientists previously determined that the November 2023 explosion temporarily disrupted the integrity of the atmosphere.
“Congratulations @SpaceX! Successful 10th flight brings us one step closer to landing astronauts on the Moon with Artemis III,” Acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy wrote on X. “Historic day for @NASA and partners.”
With 7.5 million kg of thrust from 33 Super Heavy engines, Starship is capable of launching 10 times more cargo than Falcon 9.
[4K] Watch the launch of the largest and most powerful rocket ever live! Starship Flight 10 — YouTube
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The Starship design is focused on efficiency: the hull is made of inexpensive stainless steel, the fuel is methane, which theoretically can be extracted on Mars.
The mission tested new thermal protection elements, cargo launch capabilities, and improvements based on previous flights. It reflects SpaceX's “learn by failing fast” philosophy, where testing is done to the limits of what's possible.
Despite the success, signs of overload were observed during the flight: flapping of the valves and fires.
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The hexagonal heat shields burned during supersonic reentry. Their reusability is a revolutionary step, unlike NASA's shuttles, where shields took months to rebuild.
“We're building thermal protection that's ready to be reused immediately after flight,” Musk said on air on August 25.
The development timeline is tied to the Artemis lunar program. Musk also announced possible unmanned missions to Mars in the coming year.
However, technical issues could push back the schedule. Orbital refueling for long-range missions remains a key challenge.
TAGS spacex NASA Elon Musk
Ben TurnerSocial Networks
Ben Turner is a staff writer for Live Science. He graduated from University College London with degrees in physics, astronomy, and technology. In his spare time, he enjoys literature, music, and chess.
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