- SpaceX successfully conducted a static fire test of its Starship megarocket and Super Heavy booster at its Starbase facility in southern Texas.
- The test involved firing the 33 engines of the Super Heavy rocket while it remained tethered, following a similar test of the smaller upper stage.
- Starship, described by Elon Musk as the "most powerful object ever made," is 124 meters tall and designed to carry over 100 tons to low Earth orbit.
- The rocket is crucial for NASA's Artemis program, which aims to return astronauts to the Moon, with SpaceX contracted to develop a lunar lander.
- NASA's lunar mission timelines have faced delays due to challenges with Starship's Human Landing System, with the first crewed Moon landing now anticipated in late 2028.
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