SpaceX continues to revolutionize space exploration and push the boundaries of the possible, blurring the lines that distinguish fiction from reality. In an incredible display of daring and technical prowess, the company launched its fifth test flight of the Starship launch vehicle on October 13. The first stage booster soared to a height of 40 miles above the earth before detaching and then miraculously returning to the original launch pad and lowering itself to be captured by two robotic arms protruding from the 400-foot tall launch tower. Did I mention that this booster is over two hundred feet tall, weighs something like 200 tons, and produces nearly 17 million pounds of thrust? What an incredible engineering feat!
How innovation trends will impact the sector
Investment in this sector will continue to outpace most others, but not every company has the engineering chops and ability to deliver results like SpaceX. Investors and suppliers should evaluate business plans and opportunities (for investment or program participation) with a healthy dose of skepticism, because for every SpaceX there will be a dozen or two failures.
The rocket’s first stage “Super Heavy” booster lifted off at 7:25 a.m. CT (1225 GMT) from SpaceX’s Boca Chica, Texas launch facilities, sending the Starship second stage rocket toward space before separating at an altitude of roughly 70 km (40 miles) to begin its return to land – the most daring part of the test flight.
