spacex starship jaw dropping images capture the shiny prototype in flight

The Starship, SpaceX's under-construction rocket designed to send humans to Mars and beyond, has taken its first flight in prototype form.

On Friday, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk shared an image of the "SN5" prototype during this week's "hop test." This test sent the tank soaring into the air using a single off-center Raptor engine. The "SN5" vehicle flew nearly 500 feet into the air, around the same height as its "Starhopper" predecessor that took off in August 2019.

The successful launch is a key step in SpaceX's mission to finish the development of the Starship. First outlined under the name "BFR" in September 2017, the Starship is designed to take on missions currently reserved for the Falcon 9 like satellite launches. It's also a fully-reusable ship designed to send up to 150 tons or 100 people into space at a time. Its use of liquid oxygen and methane fuel means people can fly to Mars, harvest the planet's resources, and either return home or venture out further.