First flight of the new Starship completes most goals, but Booster recovery fails

SpaceX's "Starship" took off from the southern Texas launch base at 5:30 PM Central Time on May 22nd, performing its 12th test flight mission. This is the first overall flight test of the new generation "Starship" system, which has been significantly upgraded and redesigned, covering a comprehensive verification of the spacecraft, "Super Heavy" booster, "Raptor" engines, and the launch pad.

The mission achieved several core objectives. After entering the space skimming phase, the spacecraft successfully deployed 20 Starlink sim satellites as planned, with the satellite size being similar to the next generation of Starlink products, and they were destroyed during re-entry into the atmosphere. The spacecraft also carried two specially modified Starlink satellites to image the thermal protection system and transmit data back to the ground, to evaluate the thermal protection inspection methods before future returns.

This test flight also had two noticeable shortcomings. The booster failed to complete the return braking burn after separation and fell into the Gulf of Mexico in an uncontrolled state, with the recovery target missed. One of the six "Raptor" engines on the spacecraft shut down prematurely, leading the mission team to cancel the planned in-orbit engine re-ignition test.

The engineering team deliberately removed a heat shield tile during the spacecraft's re-entry phase to test the changes in aerodynamic loads on adjacent areas, and also completed the tail fin ultimate load test and dynamic tilting maneuvers to simulate return trajectory. The spacecraft ultimately splashed down in the Indian Ocean about 40 minutes after launch.

The "Starship" is approximately 120 meters long, designed to transport personnel and cargo to Earth orbit, the Moon, and even Mars, and it is also one of the most important technical verification milestones in SpaceX's plan before the super IPO."