SpaceX’s Starship and its Super Heavy booster took centre stage in Boca Chica, Texas as founder Elon Musk and president-elect Donald Trump gathered to witness the sixth test flight of the towering launch vehicle. The previous test flight had garnered attention for its successful catch by the launch tower, but this time, the Super Heavy Booster did not make it back to its launchpad, indicating a potential issue.
Despite this setback, Musk, Trump, and other spectators were treated to a breathtaking sight as the booster made a “soft splashdown” off the Gulf Coast. Standing at an impressive 400 feet tall when stacked together, the Starship and its Super Heavy booster are designed to be the world’s tallest and most powerful launch vehicle. The first stage is powered by 33 Raptor engines, while the Starship upper stage carries six Raptors, showcasing the vehicle’s futuristic and powerful design.
In a surprising announcement, Trump revealed plans for Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy to lead a new “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE) as an advisory body to the White House. While the name may be misleading, DOGE is not a government agency, but rather a platform for Musk and Ramaswamy to provide guidance on improving government efficiency.
As Musk continues to push the boundaries of space exploration with SpaceX’s groundbreaking technology, the presence of Trump at the Starship test flight highlights the growing importance of space travel in the political landscape. With ambitions to eventually carry astronauts to the moon and beyond, the Starship test flights are key milestones in SpaceX’s mission to revolutionize space travel.
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Video “Trump, Musk watch SpaceX's 6th Starship test flight, splashdown in Texas” was uploaded on 11/20/2024 to Youtube Channel Global News