The previous flight test in January also saw the second-ever successful return and catch of the rocket booster, known as the Super Heavy, at the launch pad. The daring booster catch maneuver is a critical capability in tech billionaire Musk's goal of developing a completely reusable vehicle and rocket for upcoming missions to the moon and Mars.

The most recent flight took place on Jan. 16. That mission was a partial success; SpaceX successfully caught Starship's giant first-stage booster, known as Super Heavy, with the "chopstick" arms of the Starbase launch tower as planned.