ON SECOND TEST OF ITS NEWEST STARSHIP DESIGN, SPACEX STICKS THE LANDING - THE NEW YORK TIMES

SpaceX successfully landed its newest Starship during its second test flight (Flight 13) on a recent launch, marking a milestone for the company’s most advanced super‑heavy rocket.

After a launch that saw the vehicle rise to orbital velocity, the Starship performed a precise descent and executed an "intact splashdown" in the Atlantic Ocean, according to reports from Space.com and Florida Today. The flight was notable for carrying next‑generation Starlink satellites, and the vehicle’s landing was described as the "softest splashdown ever." Space.com’s update titled "SPACEX ‘OVER THE MOON’ AFTER STARSHIP LAUNCH" also noted the spacecraft’s trajectory past lunar distance before returning to Earth.

These flights are part of SpaceX’s ongoing efforts to demonstrate the reliability of the Starship platform, intended for deep‑space missions including lunar and Mars exploration.

• Successful landing of Starship Flight 13, the second test of the newest design
• Vehicle carried next‑generation Starlink satellites and landed intact in the Atlantic
• Space.com and Florida Today described the splashdown as the "softest" and "intact" ever seen

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