Starship lands on water with one engine: SpaceX releases new video
SpaceX has released new footage showing the landing process at the end of the 12th test flight of the Starship S39 spacecraft. The video, recorded at 60 frames per second, shows the final stage of the ship's water landing. Initially descending on two engines, the ship switched to a single-engine mode just before touching the water. This is reported by Ixbt.com reports.
Such a scheme is an important milestone in mastering controlled landings. Using powerful engines allows for more precise control over descent speed and ship stability during the final phase of the maneuver. The company also showcased a new drone video of the flight that took place late last week.
SpaceX aims to launch Starship spacecraft more than once an hour in the future, totaling over 10,000 flights per year. Elon Musk explained why a high thrust-to-weight ratio is crucial for future rockets like Starship. According to him, transitioning to fully reusable systems will fundamentally change flight economics.
As a reminder, during the 12th flight, SpaceX set a unique record. The rocket carried approximately 45 tons of Starlink satellite simulators into orbit. Currently, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has not yet made a final decision on the need for a post-flight investigation.
