President-elect Donald Trump visited SpaceX’s testing facility in Brownsville, Texas, on Tuesday to witness a test of the company’s Super Heavy booster and Starship spacecraft. Trump’s appearance alongside SpaceX CEO Elon Musk signals growing ties between the incoming administration and private space ventures.
The test aimed to replicate an October success, where SpaceX’s massive booster rocket launched into space and returned to land with precision into the “arms” of a structure Musk calls “Mechazilla.” The reusable design is central to Musk’s vision for cost-effective space travel, with the Starship spacecraft planned for missions to the moon, Mars, and beyond.
The test procedure began with the Super Heavy booster launching from SpaceX’s Starbase facility. The booster detached mid-flight, steering itself back to its launch site for a landing, while the Starship spacecraft continued its journey into orbit. The spacecraft was expected to spend roughly 30 minutes in space before igniting its rockets for a return to Earth.
The 397-foot-tall Super Heavy-Starship rocket, powered by 33 Raptor engines, launched at 5 p.m. EST, ascending over the Gulf of Mexico. Approximately two and a half minutes into the flight, the Starship’s six Raptor engines ignited, propelling the spacecraft into space as the Super Heavy booster separated and began its return to the launch site.
Initially, the plan was for the Super Heavy booster to be captured by mechanical arms on the launch pad. However, due to an unspecified issue, flight controllers redirected the booster to a controlled splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico. The Starship upper stage continued its mission into space.
The goal was for the booster test to last seven minutes, marking a new milestone for SpaceX—the shortest interval between two such launches following the October 13 success.
Trump was not the only high-profile guest at the event. Senator Ted Cruz of Texas also attended the test launch in support of SpaceX.
