Starship, Super Heavy, Successful Ground Landing

On October 13th (local time), SpaceX conducted the fifth test launch of its massive launch vehicle, Starship. 

This Starship landing was nothing short of a miracle. Who could have imagined it? 
 

The fourth launch in June succeeded in separating the first-stage Heavy Booster and the second-stage Starship (hot staging) and achieved the Starship's target orbit (150km) followed by an inertial flight.

During this process, the first-stage Heavy Booster also successfully decelerated and landed in the ocean (splashdown), raising expectations for a stable landing using the robotic arm (Megazilla) installed on the launch pad for the fifth launch.

Indeed, this launch, similar to the fourth launch, succeeded in the launch and separation of the first and second stages.

Significantly, the separated first-stage rocket precisely landed vertically on the Megazilla at Starbase, the space launch facility located in Boca Chica, southern Texas.

The first-stage Super Heavy is about 70 meters tall. This massive Super Heavy ascended to an altitude of 96 kilometers, then descended at a speed of 4,400 kilometers per hour before landing. Just before landing, it reignited 12 engines to rapidly slow down and landed between the two arms of the Megazilla, which is less than 20 meters wide.

This signifies a significant increase in the reusability of the most powerful rocket in human history. The second-stage Starship also achieved the target altitude and re-entry into Earth, similar to the fourth launch, and then landed vertically in the Indian Ocean after an inertial flight.

[Image captions: Successful landing of the first-stage Super Heavy]

[Successful vertical landing of the second-stage Starship in the Indian Ocean]

SpaceX's Starship is the most powerful launch vehicle in human history, standing 120 meters tall and capable of carrying a payload of 100-150 tons to low Earth orbit.

Both the first-stage (Super Heavy) and the second-stage (Starship) are designed to be reusable, and they are expected to be used in NASA's Artemis project, which aims to send humans to the moon.

If Starship commercializes like SpaceX's Falcon 9, it is expected to contribute significantly to launch services in the global space industry. 

Associated Data:

• Launch Date: October 13th, 2023 (local time)
• Launch Site: Starbase, Boca Chica, southern Texas
• First Stage: Super Heavy booster
• Second Stage: Starship
• First Stage Height: Approximately 70 meters
• First Stage Landing: Vertical landing on Megazilla robotic arm
• First Stage Ascent Altitude: 96 kilometers
• First Stage Descent Speed: 4,400 kilometers per hour
• First Stage Engine Reignition: 12 engines reignited for landing
• Megazilla Width: Less than 20 meters
• Second Stage Landing: Vertical landing in the Indian Ocean
• Second Stage Target Altitude: Achieved, similar to the fourth launch
• Starship Total Height: 120 meters
• Starship Payload Capacity: 100-150 tons to low Earth orbit
• Reusability: Both Super Heavy and Starship are designed to be reusable
• Artemis Project: Expected to be used in NASA's Artemis lunar program
• Commercialization: Potential to significantly impact global space industry launch services, similar to SpaceX's Falcon 9.