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Called Starfall, the spacecraft quietly lifted off on a Falcon 9 rocket on Tuesday on a test mission.
Here is everything we know about the mission.
The launch caught many space enthusiasts off guard, with SpaceX revealing virtually nothing about Starfall beforehand, and that secrecy carried through to launch day when the company abruptly cut its webcast just ten minutes after liftoff.
The launch comes as news broke that SpaceX boss Elon Musk lost his trillionaire status on Wednesday after stocks in his companies, SpaceX and Tesla, dropped following an initially successful public offering.
What is its purpose?
In a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) filing, SpaceX says Starfall could offer “access to microgravity and vacuum” for companies interested in space manufacturing and “point-to-point delivery of critical cargo through space on rapid timelines,” which could mean missiles or military hardware.
No official confirmation exists that Starfall is intended for military use, however, the muted launch has circulated rumours that it could be used precisely for that.
The US Defense Department has long pursued the idea of using rockets to deliver large loads anywhere on Earth at speed.
SpaceX also already holds multiple contracts with the Pentagon, including one called Project Cargo, which envisions Starship delivering supplies across the globe.
Each Starfall capsule can carry 2,200 lbs or around 998 kilograms of payload, according to the FAA filings. They each have one extension for the payload and one for the heat shield.
The capsule can adjust its orientation mid-flight using inert gases, but it cannot deorbit on its own; it either follows a pre-programmed flight path or relies on another spacecraft to bring it down.
“Today’s mission includes a demo of a new vehicle that will enable affordable, routine access to the microgravity environment for scientific research and in-space manufacturing,” SpaceX posted on X Tuesday.
“After demonstrating controlled flight, the spacecraft will splash down in the Pacific Ocean,” it added.
Each Starfall capsule is about 75 centimetres tall and 3.1 metres across and able to carry approximately 1,000 kilograms of payload, per the FAA filings.