Following a string of unsuccessful flights, SpaceX managed to pull off its most successful test in months, with Starship fulfilling a number of key milestones.

It was a good day for SpaceX. The megarocket blasted off on time, leaving the Starbase launch mount at 7:30 p.m. ET. Stage separation went off without a hitch, with the Super Heavy booster landing in the ocean as planned nearly 7 minutes into the mission. Second engine cutoff (SECO) occurred a few minutes later, and Starship began to cruise in space, this time without the awful tumbling experienced in the most recent mission.

History was made at the 18:30 mark, when Starship opened its bay doors and ejected payloads into space for the first time.

In this case, the payloads were mock-ups of next-gen Starlink satellites. Acting lik

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