SpaceX’s mega Starship rocket completed its first full test flight on Thursday (Friday NZT), returning to Earth without exploding after blasting off from Texas. That’s good news for One NZ, which is partnering with SpaceX-owned Starlink for texting via satellite - from a normal cellphone - from almost anywhere in NZ from the end of this year, effectively eliminating mobile blackspots (as long as you have line-of-sight to the sky). Next year, voice calls and internet will be added to One NZ’s satellite mix.
But to offer voice and data, larger next-generation Starlink satellites are required - which can only fit on Starship, not SpaceX’s smaller Falcon rockets. Rivals Spark and 2degrees have both teamed with putative Starlink rival Lynk . Successful text and voice trials have taken place, and a Nelson pilot in 2degrees’ case, but with no commercial launch date yet.
It was the fourth launch of the world’s biggest and most powerful rocket, standing nearly 121m tall. The three previous flight demos ended in explosions. This time, the rocket and the spacecraft managed to splash down in a controlled fashion, making the hour-long flight the longest and most successful yet.
“Despite loss of many tiles and a damaged flap, Starship made it all the way to a soft landing in the ocean!” SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said via X. Starship was empty as it soared above the Gulf of Mexico and headed east on a flight to the Indian Ocean. Within minutes, the first-stage booster separated f.
