SpaceX launched its upgraded Starship rocket on its first test flight Friday from South Texas, achieving a successful splashdown in the Indian Ocean after more than an hour in flight.
The 408-foot-tall vehicle lifted off at 5:30 pm CDT from the Starbase launch facility and reached a maximum altitude of 121 miles. It deployed 20 mock Starlink satellites and demonstrated an improved payload system before reentering and landing on target, with its heat shield and flaps performing well throughout the descent.
