![\"\"](\"https:\/\/wp-assets.futurism.com\/2020\/08\/spacex-hops-full-scale-starship-prototype-300x158.jpg\")
<\/div>Lift-Off!<\/h2>
SpaceX has successfully flown its massive SN5 Starship prototype at its Boca Chica, Texas testing grounds to a planned height of 150 meters, or roughly 500 feet.<\/p>
“Mars is looking real,” SpaceX CEO Elon Musk tweeted<\/a> in response to the news.<\/p> And it was quite the sight — a livestream showed the gigantic cylindrical stainless steel structure float up into the air, leaving a massive dust cloud behind. It then smoothly made its return journey downward.<\/p> “This looks simultaneously cool as hell and fucking ridiculous,” tweeted<\/a> Ars Technica<\/em> senior space reporter Eric Berger.<\/p> LAUNCH! Starship SN5 has launched on a 150 meter test hop at SpaceX Boca Chica.<\/p> Under the power of Raptor SN27, SN5 has conducted what looks like a successful flight!<\/p> Listen to the SpaceXers cheer!<\/p> Mary (@BocaChicaGal<\/a>) filming history!<\/p> Livestream: https:\/\/t.co\/rUNxATy7VJ<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/p5UTRFd0gI<\/a><\/p> — Chris B – NSF (@NASASpaceflight) August 4, 2020<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote> It’s a big milestone in SpaceX’s efforts to build a rocket capable of ferrying up to 100 passengers (or 100 tons of cargo) to the Moon and even Mars.<\/p> The massive fuel tank, the company’s sixth full-scale testing prototype, lifted off the ground, with only one of the company’s next-generation Raptor rocket engines roaring below.<\/p> Just so we're clear, SpaceX built a Mars rocket out of rolls of steel, in tents, in South Texas, in weeks. And the first time they flew it, it made a smooth launch, a controlled flight, and safely landed. This is truly remarkable.<\/p> — Eric Berger (@SciGuySpace) August 5, 2020<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote> Despite today’s success, the SpaceX team still has a long way to go. The final version is designed to hold six Raptor engines and sport a massive nosecone on top. During today’s test, SN5 had a simulated payload mounted to the top of it to compensate for future payloads.<\/p> An earlier attempt on Monday had to be scrubbed<\/a>. “Scrubbed for the day,” SpaceX CEO Elon Musk wrote on Twitter<\/a> yesterday from the Boca Chica control room<\/a>. “A Raptor turbopump spin start valve didn’t open, triggering an automatic abort.”<\/p> The news comes after a series of preceding prototypes have crumpled like cans<\/a> or exploded spectacularly<\/a> in a giant fireball.<\/p> The SN5 prototype successfully completed a static fire<\/a> test on July 30 leading up to today’s first hop.<\/p> A scaled-down version called “Starhopper” flew to 150 meters<\/a> during a successful attempt in August 2019. “One day Starship will land on the rusty sands of Mars,” Musk quipped<\/a> on Twitter at the time.<\/p> READ MORE: <\/strong>Prototype of SpaceX’s future Starship rocket flies short hop to 500 feet<\/a> [The Verge<\/em>] More on Starship:<\/strong> SpaceX to Attempt First Full-Scale Starship Test Flight This Week<\/a><\/em><\/p> The post Incredible: Watch SpaceX Fly Full-Scale Starship Prototype to 500 Feet<\/a> appeared first on Futurism<\/a>.<\/p> Read more from the original source: Lift-Off! SpaceX has successfully flown its massive SN5 Starship prototype at its Boca Chica, Texas testing grounds to a planned height of 150 meters, or roughly 500 feet. \u201cMars is looking real,\u201d SpaceX CEO Elon Musk tweeted in response to the news. And it was quite the sight \u2014 a livestream showed the gigantic cylindrical stainless steel structure float up into the air, leaving a massive dust cloud behind Continue reading A Major Milestone<\/h2>
Long Time Coming<\/h2>
<\/strong><\/p>
Incredible: Watch SpaceX Fly Full-Scale Starship Prototype to 500 Feet<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"