SpaceX Successfully Launches Starship Megarocket

SpaceX successfully launched its Starship megarocket from the Starbase facility in Texas. The launch came after a failed attempt last week, when the launch had to be called off due to problems with several engines.

The flight is planned to last about an hour. According to the mission plan, the Starship upper stage is to perform a controlled splashdown in the Indian Ocean. Meanwhile, the Super Heavy booster, which separated from the ship about two minutes after launch, performed a controlled splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico.

This was the second test of the Starship V3 version. During the first flight of this modification in May, the rocket faced a number of engine failures, which negatively affected its performance.

The launch holds special significance for SpaceX, as the company is under significant pressure to prepare Starship for a key NASA test flight scheduled for next year. This flight is expected to be a decisive step toward the next human landing on the Moon.

This is also the first Starship flight after SpaceX went public. Last week's failed launch attempt triggered a sell-off of the company's shares, which are still trading below the initial public offering (IPO) price.

It was also reported that Google commits to paying SpaceX $920 million monthly.