Starship Flight 6 HIGHLIGHTS: No Booster Catch, Banana & Trump – Photos & Videos

SpaceX’s highly anticipated Starship Flight 6 launched successfully, but the planned tower catch of the Super Heavy booster did not happen. In an unexpected turn of events, former President Donald Trump was spotted at the launch site. But that is not all! Read on to know all the details

Booster 13: What Happened?

The massive 400-foot-tall Starship vehicle lifted off from Starbase in Boca Chica, Texas, as scheduled. However, SpaceX announced shortly before launch that there would be no attempt to catch the booster with the launch tower’s “chopstick” arms.

In a change from the previous flight, Booster 13 executed a controlled splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico rather than attempting a tower catch. SpaceX confirmed that while the launch tower was ready for a catch attempt, the booster’s systems indicated it wasn’t optimal to proceed with the maneuver.

Starship Upper Stage Success

The Starship upper stage continued its planned trajectory, successfully completing a controlled splashdown in the Indian Ocean approximately 65 minutes after launch. This marks the second consecutive successful water landing for the Starship vehicle.

Heat Shield and Reentry Test

During its suborbital journey, the Starship upper stage conducted crucial heat shield experiments. The vehicle survived reentry, protected by improved heat-shield tiles and enhanced steering fins. “Turns out the vehicle had more capability than our calculations predicted, and that is why we test like we fly,” said SpaceX engineer Kate Tice.

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What’s interesting is the Starship’s payload. It’s a banana that doubles as a zero G indicator. It will not be deployed in space. But there’s more, it’s got a dancing banana meme proudly displayed on the side. Why? What does it mean? Read here.