STARSHIP SUPER HEAVY TEST FLIGHT 5 (IFT-5) (Ship 30 upper stage and Booster 12) successfully launched from Starbase, Boco Chica Beach, Brownsville, Texas, on 13 October 2024 at 1225 GMT. This was the fifth flight test of a SpaceX Starship launch vehicle.
The Super Heavy booster was successfully caught by“chopsticks” 6 minutes 56 seconds after launch. Courtesy: SpaceX
This demonstration mission included a first attempt to return the 232 foot-tall (71-metre) booster to the landing structure after had successfully separated from the upper Starship spacecraft. The Super Heavy booster was successfully caught mid-air as planned with what SpaceX call “chopsticks” (a pair of metal pincers), 6 minutes 56 seconds after launch.
While history was being written at the launch site, Starship had fired up its 6 engines and continued it journey. After re-entry and a chance to test its new heat shield configuration, it headed to the Indian Ocean where Starship flipped, performed a landing burn and completed a soft splashdown in the Indian ocean. It was reported that there was still some burn through on at least one of the forward flaps.
Eventually, SpaceX hopes that Starship will put the first humans on Mars.
