SpaceX conducts sixth test flight of Starship rocket from South Texas

SpaceX successfully launched its sixth test flight of the Starship rocket from Boca Chica, South Texas. Unlike the previous flight, the booster was intentionally directed to splash down in the Gulf of Mexico instead of returning to land. The spacecraft completed a near-loop around the world, achieving new objectives such as igniting an engine in space. The launch occurred in the afternoon for better visibility during descent, and thermal protection experiments were conducted. Future upgrades are planned for the next test flight. SpaceX aims to fully recycle the Starship to reduce costs for missions to the moon and Mars, with NASA funding the project for over $4 billion.