SpaceX's Starship Rockets to the Skies: A Step Closer to Mars

SpaceX launched another mammoth Starship rocket on a test flight, aiming to journey halfway around the globe while deploying mock satellites. This 11th test flight of the largest rocket yet is critical for SpaceX founder Elon Musk's Martian ambitions and NASA's lunar landing needs. The flight, launching from Texas and carrying mock satellites, marks significant progress with a series of entry tests set over the Indian Ocean.

SpaceX launched its colossal Starship rocket on a new test mission, seeking to soar halfway around the globe with mock satellites in tow. The 11th Starship trial marked a significant test for SpaceX CEO Elon Musk's ambition to transport humans to Mars, and NASA's lunar ambitions.

Blasting off from Texas, the Starship is the world's largest rocket. It was programmed to detach its booster over the Gulf of Mexico, with no recovery planned, before the spacecraft continued skimming space on its way to the Indian Ocean. Musk, for the first time, chose to witness the launch from outside, making the experience 'much more visceral.'

With final adjustments at Cape Canaveral to host Starships in the future, SpaceX continues expanding its capacity from its existing Falcon rockets that service the International Space Station. These developments are critical as NASA depends on Starship's success for its goal of lunar landings before the decade's end.

(With inputs from agencies.)