SpaceX completes mostly successful Starship test flight

SpaceX launched the 12th test flight of its giant Starship rocket on Friday evening, and the mission ended in the Indian Ocean just over an hour later. The 407-foot vehicle pairs an upper-stage spacecraft, often called Ship, with a Super Heavy booster that carries 33 engines.

Despite several engine failures, the upper-stage survived re-entry and executed a final maneuver over the ocean using two engines instead of the planned three before toppling into the water and exploding. One booster engine failed during ascent, and later burns meant to return the booster softly did not work as expected; video showed the booster descending rapidly and apparently crashing into the Gulf of Mexico.

One of the six upper-stage engines also malfunctioned, and the remaining engines fired longer to compensate. During the flight, Starship released 20 dummy versions of next-generation Starlink satellites and two modified current Starlink satellites with cameras.

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