SpaceX’s Starship completed a major test flight Tuesday, deploying eight mock Starlink satellites and trialing new heat shield tiles during reentry.

The 403-foot rocket, in its tenth launch, reached orbit before dispensing the satellites and enduring a fiery plunge through Earth’s atmosphere, testing reusable shield technology crucial for future missions.

The flight ended with a controlled ocean landing and an expected explosion, but marked key progress after earlier failures.

NASA hailed the milestone as vital for Starship’s role in the Artemis III moon landing, though significant challenges—like in-space refueling and safe lunar landings—remain, NBC News has reported.

Starship is central to SpaceX’s long-term goals of Mars travel and expanding its Starlink satellite business.