-
Robertson pleased to 'find a way' past England in tough Test baptism
-
Martin sets lap record to secure German MotoGP pole
-
'Shattered' Germany set sights on World Cup after Euros exit
-
Olympic hope Pedersen pulls out of Tour de France
-
Djokovic eyes sweet 16 at Wimbledon as Swiatek takes on 'gangster'
-
End beckons again for Ronaldo after Portugal Euros KO
-
New Zealand edge England 16-15 in tense, brutal first Test
-
Turkey take on Dutch in politically charged Euros quarter-final, England face Swiss
-
Calling for better ties with West, Iran reformist wins presidency
-
Cybercrime groups restructuring after major takedowns: experts
-
Activists hail Sierra Leone child marriage ban, urge action on FGM
-
Marsch relishing Canada's semi clash with Argentina
-
Canada stun Venezuela on penalties to reach Copa semis
-
Iran reformist Pezeshkian holds early lead in runoff vote
-
Swiatek faces 'gangster' threat, Djokovic feels need for Wimbledon speed
-
France holds its breath ahead of uncertain vote
-
Starmer begins UK 'rebuild' after landslide election win
-
Paris's Moulin Rouge inaugurates new windmill sails ahead of Olympics
-
Pan, Rai share halfway lead in PGA John Deere Classic
-
'I was feeling terrible' in debate, Biden says in TV interview
-
France coach Deschamps savours ending penalty hoodoo, defends Mbappe
-
Thompson bids farewell to Warriors after exit
-
Portugal exit Euros with pride, will return stronger: Martinez
-
UK's new PM Starmer speaks to world leaders, names top team
-
Spain and France to face off in Euros last four, Turkey lament 'unfair' Demiral ban
-
Israel says negotiators to hold fresh Gaza truce talks next week
-
France beat Portugal on penalties to reach Euro 2024 semi-finals
-
Endrick to start for Brazil in Uruguay Copa clash: Dorival
-
Heartbreak for Germany fans after dramatic Euros exit
-
Beryl heads for Texas after causing damage, no deaths in Mexico
-
Nagelsmann laments late penalty decision as hosts Germany exit Euros
-
Biden declares he's all in ahead of high-risk TV interview
-
Spain team 'is a winning horse', says De la Fuente
-
Bows at the ready, Chad villagers battle kidnappings
-
Alcaraz mimics Bellingham goal celebration after Wimbledon win
-
Olmo hopes Pedri can make speedy return for Euros semi-finalists Spain
-
Retiring Kroos hopeful despite Germany's 'bitter' Euros exit
-
Southgate turns on English 'entitlement' over claims of easy Euros draw
-
Merino extra-time goal sends Spain past Germany to Euro semis
-
Koeman demands Dutch silence fervent Turkish fans at Euros
-
Brad Pitt at Silverstone for filming of F1 movie
-
Raducanu storms into Wimbledon last 16
-
California fires spread in July 4 weekend heatwave
-
Alcaraz wins five-set Wimbledon thriller as Gauff eases through
-
Demiral Euros ban 'unfair' but Turkish pride will grow, says coach Montella
-
Gauff overpowers qualifier to reach Wimbledon fourth round
-
Vinales sets German MotoGP lap record as Marquez goes flying
-
Hurricane Beryl causes havoc in Mexico
-
Rwanda-backed rebels, DRC begin two-week 'humanitarian truce'
-
Schar keen to show Swiss class against England at Euros
SpaceX's megarocket Starship launches on fourth test flight
Starship, SpaceX's massive prototype rocket launched for its fourth test flight Thursday, and is now attempting to fly halfway around the globe before splashing down in the Indian Ocean.
The most powerful launch system ever built, vital to NASA's plans for returning astronauts to the Moon and for SpaceX CEO Elon Musk's hopes of one day colonizing Mars, blasted off from Starbase in Boca Chica, Texas at 7:50 am (1250 GMT).
Three previous attempts have ended in Starship's fiery destruction, all part of what the company says is an acceptable cost in its rapid trial-and-error approach to development.
"The payload for these flight tests is data. Building upon what we achieved during Starship's third flight test, our primary goal today is to get through the extreme heat of reentry," SpaceX posted on X.
Super Heavy is the booster, while Starship refers to both the upper stage and the two stages combined.
The flight path will be similar to the third test, which took place in March and saw Starship fly for 49 minutes before it was eventually lost as it re-entered the atmosphere over the Indian Ocean.
Since then SpaceX says it has made several software and hardware upgrades, and hopes to achieve a soft splashdown for the booster stage in the Gulf of Mexico, and a "controlled entry" for the upper stage.
Designed to eventually be fully reusable, Starship stands 397 feet (121 meters) tall with both stages combined -- 90 feet taller than the Statue of Liberty.
Its Super Heavy booster produces 16.7 million pounds (74.3 Meganewtons) of thrust, almost double that of the world's second most powerful rocket, NASA's Space Launch System -- though the latter is now certified, while Starship is still under development.
SpaceX's strategy of carrying out tests in the real world rather than in labs has paid off in the past.
Its Falcon 9 rockets have come to be workhorses for NASA and the commercial sector, its Dragon capsule sends astronauts and cargo to the International Space Station, and its Starlink internet satellite constellation now covers dozens of countries.
But the clock is ticking for SpaceX to be ready for NASA's planned return of astronauts to the Moon in 2026, using a modified Starship as the lander vehicle.
To accomplish this, SpaceX will need to first place a Starship in orbit, then refuel it with multiple "Starship tankers" for its onward journey -- a complex engineering feat that has never before been accomplished.
At least one SpaceX fan has grown tired of waiting. Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa announced this week he has canceled a planned trip around the Moon on Starship with a crew of artists, because he has no idea when it might actually happen.
L.Torres--PC