The rocket launched on time at 2330 UTC on August 26, and one Super Heavy booster engine failed during ascent without affecting the mission. After separation, the booster made a controlled splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico, hovered with two engines, then reached the surface and exploded. The second stage climbed to space with all engines and no leaks; eight Starlink V3 simulators were deployed, some striking the payload door. SpaceX performed a short relight of a Starship engine to demonstrate a controlled de-orbit capability. Starship reentered to the Indian Ocean, suffered some aft flap burn-through, remained controllable, performed a landing burn, then toppled and exploded.
The rocket launched on time, at 2330 UTC on August 26 (1830 CDT, local time in Texas). One of the Super Heavy Booster engines failed during the ascent, but as SpaceX's enthusiastic commentator noted, it did not affect the mission. After separation, the booster made a controlled splashdown into the Gulf of Mexico and demonstrated a hover above the water with only two engines running before eventually reaching the surface and exploding as expected.
The second stage continued its climb to space with all engines running and no sign of the leaks and failures that have vexed previous test flights. During the suborbital flight, eight Starlink V3 simulators were deployed - it appeared that a number struck the payload door on the way out - before SpaceX performed a short relight of one of Starship's engines to prove it was possible ahead of a possible orbital mission that would require a controlled de-orbit.
Finally, Starship had to make it down to the Indian Ocean without tumbling out of control or coming apart under the forces of re-entry. Once again, SpaceX achieved another success. While there was clearly some burn-through at the base of one of the aft flaps, the vehicle itself remained under control even as SpaceX intentionally stressed its structure. As the water neared, Starship flipped to a nose-up attitude and performed a landing burn above the ocean. As expected, it toppled over and exploded,
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