“Starship” completes its 13th test flight; the spacecraft splashes down in the Indian Ocean

Caixin Media, July 25: U.S. space exploration technology company SpaceX’s heavy-lift rocket “Starship” took off from the launch site in southern Texas on the afternoon of July 24, at 5 p.m. Central Time, and carried out its 13th test flight.

The rocket’s first-stage “Super Heavy” booster splashed down in waters near the Gulf of Mexico. The second-stage “Starship” spacecraft completed a suborbital flight and then splashed down in the Indian Ocean. During the second-stage “Starship” spacecraft’s flight, its 6 engines operated normally and deployed 20 next-generation “Starlink” satellites.

The spacecraft also briefly restarted one engine in space to verify the in-orbit ignition capability needed for future lunar landing missions. About 1 hour and 5 minutes after launch, the spacecraft splashed down in the Indian Ocean northwest of Australia. #夏日创作营