SpaceX has temporarily built the tallest rocket that has ever been put together.

Standing at approximately 120m (400ft), the rocket’s two segments were stacked together by a crane before eventually being separated after an hour according to an article via BBC News.

Both Starship and Super Heavy, which are the upper-stage of the rocket and the booster respectively, are hoping to launch on an inaugural flight before the end of the year. The launch will see the Super Heavy booster propel Starship into space for a ‘once-around-the-Earth’ trip.

The future goal is to be able to land both sections in a controlled touchdown, similar to what we saw back in May 2021 with Starship SN15 – a previous prototype. For now, the maiden flight will see the codenamed B4 (Super Heavy) being separated shortly after the launch and splashing down in the Gulf of Mexico, whilst the codenamed Ship 20 (Starship) will land northwest off Hawaii in the Pacific Ocean. 

This feat was achieved at SpaceX’s test and launch site in Boca Chica, Texas.