SpaceX Launches Giant Starship Rocket as Trump Attends, Booster Catch Aborted Mid-Flight

SpaceX successfully launched another Starship rocket on Tuesday from its Texas facility, but the company opted not to attempt catching the booster with its signature mechanical arms, a key innovation for full rocket reusability.

Former President Donald Trump attended the launch, signaling the growing rapport between him and Elon Musk, SpaceX’s CEO and founder.

The Starship rocket, the most powerful ever built, was directed to splash down into the Gulf of Mexico rather than return to the launch site. The decision to forgo the booster catch came just four minutes into the test flight.

According to SpaceX spokesperson Dan Huot, some of the necessary criteria for catching the booster were not met. The flight director chose not to command its return, though specific issues were not disclosed. The booster ultimately hit the water three minutes later.

Meanwhile, the spacecraft itself continued its mission. After launching atop the Starship rocket, it soared over the Gulf of Mexico, skimming space in a trajectory similar to last month’s test flight.

Completing a near-global loop, the spacecraft made a controlled descent into the Indian Ocean after about an hour. Its destruction marked the planned end of this demonstration flight.

This was the sixth test of the full-scale Starship system, which SpaceX and NASA aim to use for crewed moon landings and future missions to Mars.

The rocket stands at 400 feet (121 meters) tall, making it the largest and most powerful ever built. Despite the booster’s failed recovery, SpaceX achieved several new objectives, advancing its plans for full reusability.

One key milestone was igniting one of the spacecraft’s engines in space, a capability critical for returning from orbit. The spacecraft also underwent thermal protection experiments, with some heat tiles intentionally removed to test future catch mechanisms.

Notably, the craft descended nose-first during reentry before flipping upright and splashing down into the Indian Ocean—a maneuver intended to refine landing techniques for future missions.

Tuesday’s launch also featured changes in timing, with a late-afternoon liftoff replacing the early-morning launches of previous tests. This adjustment ensured daylight visibility for the spacecraft’s descent, aiding in data collection and observation.

SpaceX’s ultimate goal is to make Starship fully reusable, including both the booster and spacecraft. Such advancements would significantly lower the cost of transporting cargo and people to the moon and Mars.

 The company has already demonstrated the benefits of reusing its Falcon rockets for missions out of Florida and California, saving both time and money.

NASA has awarded SpaceX over $4 billion to develop Starship for lunar missions. Two back-to-back crewed moon landings are planned for later this decade as part of the Artemis program.

Beyond the moon, Musk envisions launching a fleet of Starships to eventually establish a human settlement on Mars.

Trump’s attendance at the launch highlighted the deepening relationship between him and Musk, as the president-elect continues to show support for the private space industry.

This partnership could have significant implications for SpaceX and the broader goals of American space exploration.

This was the sixth fully-assembled Starship launch since 2023. While the first three tests ended in explosions, each subsequent launch has brought SpaceX closer to its vision of making space travel affordable and routine.