Starship Successfully Takes Off

Reaching for the stars, 20th April will go down in history as the day the biggest rocket ever built was launched. And the day our ambitions as space travellers start.

Starship on the pad at Boca Chica | Source: Space X

After years of waiting, the latest rocket from Space X finally takes off! On 20th April 2023, the biggest rocket ever built took off from Boca Chica in Texas, and with it, fully reusable rockets commenced. Although the 2nd stage didnt release itself, not all engines were lit on the first stage. It would still be a success as the first stage, which hadn’t flown before, worked as intended. It would have never got close to where it was supposed to go as three engines were shut down at the start. A further three stopped working whilst in flight.

But the others seemed to have a clean burn with little smoke. We will find out later from Space X what the percentage thrust the engines were running at. But with the 27 engines running (33–6) and assuming at least 80% of the maximum thrust, this would have been the most giant rocket ever launched, nearly double what the Saturn moon rocket produced.

“I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”
Thomas Eddison