Space is big. To explore space, you probably need a big rocket. 

On April 20th, 2023… that big rocket took off.

Space X’s Starship – the largest and most powerful rocket ever built – took to the stars for the first time in a flight test. The test planned for the rocket to launch from Texas, orbit the Earth, and land back to Earth near the coast of Hawaii. 

At 8:33 am, Starship took off from Starbase Texas in fiery fashion. However, 4 minutes after launch, the lower stage failed to separate and the rocket spun around three times before the Space X team blew the rocket up over the Gulf of Mexico. 

Despite the rocket not completing orbit, many saw the launch as a success. Space X and many space experts, such as NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, claimed the launch was “a real accomplishment”. In the end, it was a test of the rocket and not an official mission.