Elon Musk’s SpaceX on Tuesday successfully launched a “test hop” of its Starhopper, a prototype for a spacecraft that may one day be sent to Mars.
The Starhopper lifted off just after 5 p.m. local time from SpaceX’s facility in Boca Chica, Texas, rising about 500 feet above the ground and hovering in midair before landing safely.
SpaceX livestreamed the launch:
“Congrats Space X team!” Musk tweeted after the test.
This was the final test for the Starhopper, which looks like a rocket with its top half chopped off. In previous tests, the craft rose less than 100 feet and was tethered to the ground for safety.
Read: SpaceX is staking its future on this one rocket as it prepares for Mars
The Starhopper is powered by a single Raptor rocket, but plans for the Mars-bound Starship will have six Raptor rockets and room for 100 passengers. With Starhopper’s job done, the next test vehicle will have at least three Raptor rockets, Musk has previously said.
The launch had originally been scheduled for Monday evening, but was scrubbed at the last minute.
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