SpaceX test-launches biggest Starship spacecraft

US firm SpaceX has test-launched its largest Starship spacecraft, designed to reach the moon and Mars in the future. The Starship, with an unmanned spacecraft in its upper stage, lifted off on Friday from a launch pad in the southern US state of Texas. The spacecraft separated from the booster after the launch, splashing down in the Indian Ocean about one hour later. SpaceX hailed it as a successful test flight. The Starship was dramatically improved for this 12th test flight, with a larger fuel tank and an in-space refueling function. The overall height is about 120 meters. US space agency NASA is working with the private sector to develop a lunar lander. The agency plans a crewed lunar landing in 2028 under the Artemis international lunar exploration project. SpaceX, led by founder Elon Musk, has been competing with Amazon founder Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin in the space vehicle development race.