Ship landed precisely on target!
Second of the two objectives achieved. https://t.co/aMnllnkyzP
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 13, 2024
Incredible photos showed Elon Musk’s SpaceX Starship making a spectacular “belly flop” splash-down in the Indian Ocean Sunday morning following a successful test flight.
The Starship — which is designed to carry astronauts back to the moon by 2026 — successfully launched Sunday and then separated from its Falcon Super Heavy rocket booster.
Footage of the Starship’s landing. X / @SpaceX
The moment of impact. X / @SpaceX
Elon called the mission a success. REUTERS
The booster was then steered back to Earth and caught by the “Mechazilla arms” at SpaceX’s Starbase in Texas.
The Starship fell into the ocean after a short flight halfway around the Earth.
Musk heralded the mission — the fifth test of the rocket — as a success, achieving both parts of its mission.