SpaceX Mars prototype makes first successful landing

The prototype spacecraft Starship, designed specifically for missions to the Moon and Mars, has successfully landed on a launch pad for the first time. SpaceX Elon Musk hosted a live broadcast of the test.

The ship climbed to an altitude of about 10 kilometers, after which its engines were turned off and a controlled descent in a horizontal position began. As they approached Earth, the thrusters re-energized to dampen the speed and return the Starship to a horizontal position.

This is the first successful landing of the Starship prototype, which clearly demonstrates the engineers' work on errors. All previous attempts ended in explosions.

Recall that Starship is a super-heavy reusable rocket, which is being created to deliver people and cargo to low-Earth orbit, the Moon and Mars. Up to 100 people can be on board. For the first time the ship was presented in 2019. There are still many tests ahead, but Musk expects that it will be possible to send Starship to the Red Planet by 2026.