SpaceX Starship test flight clears key milestones in latest launch

Blasting off in the right direction, SpaceX's Starship Mega Rocket successfully lifted off from South Texas following last week's avoided launch attempt. This test flight is crucial for NASA's upcoming moon missions, and not to mention SpaceX's stock price. Fox 35's Bailey Bonkover is joining us live here in the studio tonight. So Bailey, a major sigh of relief tonight, but there's still a lot of work ahead. Luann, this is a major step forward tonight for SpaceX as Starship hits crucial milestones in its latest test flight from Starbase in Texas, pushing the company closer to orbital missions. Tonight's launch cleared key hurdles that have challenged engineers in past tests, marking what experts are calling a major turn in the program. This was pretty much a fully successful mission. Among those key wins, the spacecraft survived a critical atmospheric reentry phase that previously triggered breakups, yielding invaluable heat shield testing, and successfully fired its engine in space. Usually, when it does that, it falls down, flips over, and blows up, basically, which is what you would expect. But actually, it survived. Demonstrating controlled engine relight in orbit is vital for safe splashdowns away from populated areas, a huge green light for FAA approvals moving forward. I think the great success they had today points to a better chance that they will have an orbital flight. With infrastructure expanding rapidly, today's success lays the groundwork for routine, heavy lift launches right from the space coast. With all primary goals checked off, eyes are now on SpaceX for their next milestone announcement. Live from the newsroom, Bailey Walkover, Fox 35 News.