Trump Is Present at Musk's Test Launch of the Starship Rocket
Elon Musk's spacecraft is engineered for transporting astronauts to the Moon and Mars. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
The massive spacecraft is designed to transport astronauts to both the Moon and Mars.
US President-elect Donald Trump observed the launch of a giant Starship rocket alongside SpaceX CEO Elon Musk at the company's rocket launch facilities located on the Gulf Coast in Brownsville, Texas.
Standing 122 meters tall, this rocket is a key component of NASA’s Artemis program and took off from Musk’s Boca Chica manufacturing and testing site on Tuesday. According to SpaceX, the spacecraft is engineered to land astronauts on the Moon and transport crews to Mars, with a capacity to carry up to 100 passengers.
Before the launch, Trump wished Musk success, posting on X: “I’m heading to the Great State of Texas to watch the launch of the largest object ever to be elevated, not only to Space, but simply by lifting off the ground.”
This launch marked SpaceX's sixth test of the rocket.
During the test, it was anticipated that the first Super Heavy stage of the rocket would return to its launch pad to be captured by a large set of mechanical arms. This catch was successfully executed for the first time during the fifth test flight of Starship in October.
However, on this occasion, SpaceX aborted the plan shortly after the test flight commenced for unspecified reasons. The Super Heavy booster could not return to the launch pad and instead landed in the Gulf of Mexico.
Despite this setback, the rest of the mission was reportedly successful. Key objectives for this test included igniting one of the engines in space, achieving a visible ocean landing during daylight, and facilitating a quicker booster landing.
Trump’s presence at the launch indicates a strengthening partnership with Musk, who is likely to gain from Trump’s upcoming term in office. SpaceX has already secured billions in US government contracts and is expected to acquire even more.
Musk has shown support for the president-elect and is becoming an increasingly significant figure on his team. Recently, Trump appointed Musk and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy to lead the Department of Government Efficiency, a new initiative aimed at reducing government waste.
“The founder of this century’s most innovative space company, Elon Musk, successfully used his fortune, time, and energy to help elect Donald Trump to president of the United States,” wrote Ars Technica’s senior space editor, Eric Berger, earlier this month. “It’s entirely possible that the sitting chief executive of SpaceX could be the nation’s most important adviser on space policy.”
Emily Johnson contributed to this report for TROIB News
US President-elect Donald Trump observed the launch of a giant Starship rocket alongside SpaceX CEO Elon Musk at the company's rocket launch facilities located on the Gulf Coast in Brownsville, Texas.
Standing 122 meters tall, this rocket is a key component of NASA’s Artemis program and took off from Musk’s Boca Chica manufacturing and testing site on Tuesday. According to SpaceX, the spacecraft is engineered to land astronauts on the Moon and transport crews to Mars, with a capacity to carry up to 100 passengers.
Before the launch, Trump wished Musk success, posting on X: “I’m heading to the Great State of Texas to watch the launch of the largest object ever to be elevated, not only to Space, but simply by lifting off the ground.”
This launch marked SpaceX's sixth test of the rocket.
During the test, it was anticipated that the first Super Heavy stage of the rocket would return to its launch pad to be captured by a large set of mechanical arms. This catch was successfully executed for the first time during the fifth test flight of Starship in October.
However, on this occasion, SpaceX aborted the plan shortly after the test flight commenced for unspecified reasons. The Super Heavy booster could not return to the launch pad and instead landed in the Gulf of Mexico.
Despite this setback, the rest of the mission was reportedly successful. Key objectives for this test included igniting one of the engines in space, achieving a visible ocean landing during daylight, and facilitating a quicker booster landing.
Trump’s presence at the launch indicates a strengthening partnership with Musk, who is likely to gain from Trump’s upcoming term in office. SpaceX has already secured billions in US government contracts and is expected to acquire even more.
Musk has shown support for the president-elect and is becoming an increasingly significant figure on his team. Recently, Trump appointed Musk and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy to lead the Department of Government Efficiency, a new initiative aimed at reducing government waste.
“The founder of this century’s most innovative space company, Elon Musk, successfully used his fortune, time, and energy to help elect Donald Trump to president of the United States,” wrote Ars Technica’s senior space editor, Eric Berger, earlier this month. “It’s entirely possible that the sitting chief executive of SpaceX could be the nation’s most important adviser on space policy.”
Emily Johnson contributed to this report for TROIB News
