Starship's fourth flight ends in two controlled splashdowns
Both the Super Heavy booster and the Starship upper stage made it back to the water intact.
Archive entry. This article looks back at an event from June 6, 2024. It was drafted with AI assistance from public records and is being fact-checked. See our About page.
On June 6, 2024, Starship flew its fourth test from Starbase, Texas. Super Heavy flew back and made a controlled splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico, and the Starship upper stage went on to reenter the atmosphere and splash down in the Indian Ocean.
It was the first time the Starship system completed a flight with both stages surviving to a planned landing. Video from the ship showed heavy damage to some of its heat shield tiles and a flap, but the vehicle kept control through reentry.
The flight set the stage for the booster catch attempt on the fifth flight in October 2024.
