SpaceX is developing a fully reusable, rapid turnaround (hours), two-stage, heavy lift rocket system. The upper stage is called Starship and the first stage is the Super Heavy Booster. A vehicle factory and launch facility in Boca Chica Beach, Texas near Brownsville has been producing and test flying a series of prototype Starships.

These prototypes, none of which are yet intended to reach space, are testing the many technologies and techniques needed for a practical transport. Up till the SN15 vehicle, the flights had successfully demonstrated a number of these features except for landing, which requires a flip from horizontal to vertical orientation. Various problems with the propulsion system had failed to do the flip properly and the prototypes were destroyed on landing - until the SN15 flight. Here is SpaceX's statement about the SN15 flight:

On Wednesday, May 5, Starship serial number 15 (SN15) successfully completed SpaceX’s fifth high-altitude flight test of a Starship prototype from Starbase in Texas.

Similar to previous high-altitude flight tests of Starship, SN15 was powered through ascent by three Raptor engines, each shutting down in sequence prior to the vehicle reaching apogee – approximately 10 km in altitude. SN15 performed a propellant transition to the internal header tanks, which hold landing propellant, before reorienting itself for reentry and a controlled aerodynamic descent.

The Starship prototype descended under active aerodynamic control, accomplished by independent movement of two forward and two aft flaps on the vehicle. All four flaps were actuated by an onboard flight computer to control Starship’s attitude during flight and enabled precise landing at the intended location. SN15’s Raptor engines reignited as the vehicle performed the landing flip maneuver immediately before touching down for a nominal landing on the pad.

These test flights of Starship are all about improving our understanding and development of a fully reusable transportation system designed to carry both crew and cargo on long-duration interplanetary flights, and help humanity return to the Moon, and travel to Mars and beyond. Congratulations to the entire SpaceX team on SN15’s successful flight and landing!

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