Collection: SN15 Nominal Test Flight Neon Collection

On May 5th, 2021 at 5:24 PM local time, Starship prototype SN15 lifted off from the SpaceX Boca Chica launch facility, also known as STARBASE, and soared more than 6 miles into the sky, hiding behind a low layer of cloud coverage as thousands of spectators, both in-site and through online streams across the globe held their breaths.

As it reached peak altitude, SN15’s three Raptor engines gradually shut down to begin a horizontal free-fall back to Earth, a maneuver we've come to lovingly refer to as the "Belly Flop". Nearing land, two engines reignited to execute a complex “landing flip maneuver,” at that precise time, SN15 reappeared into our field of vision, majestically emerging from the clouds as it re-adjusted into a vertical position, deploying a set of tiny legs and firmly landing into the concrete with a noticeable thud that was felt through our feet. As the smoke from the engines cleared, SN15 appeared standing, unscathed, becoming the first Starship prototype to survive the 10K altitude test. To say "the crowd cheered" is an understatement. 

“Starship landing nominal!" Elon Musk tweeted about seven minutes after SN15’s touchdown, declaring success, and making history. 

We hope you enjoy our ode to this monumental achievement in our journey to the red planet and beyond! It sure was fun to work on this one!

-The .geeky shroom| team