Space X test fires Moon/Mars rocket near Brownsville, Texas

 UPI:

SpaceX conducted two engine test firings of its Starship 20 prototype rocket at its facility near Brownsville, Texas, on Thursday

The launch vehicle, a part of SpaceX's plans to travel to the moon and eventually Mars, fired its engines for only seconds. The rocket was held down for a so-called static fire later. The Federal Aviation Administration is currently reviewing a license request for the rocket.

It was the massive rocket's first firing using its Raptor vacuum engine, designed for such missions where larger amounts of cargo and people will be onboard. SpaceX has been working to make the Starship 20 completely reusable with the ability to land itself much like its current Falcon 9 rockets.

The Starship 20 will eventually contain six Raptor engines, three standard and three vacuum, according to Space.com. SpaceX has launched three-engine prototypes before that reached an altitude of six miles. Elon Musk's space company said it hopes to launch the fully-equipped rocket for test flights in the coming months.
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The actual launches are planned for the Boca Chica launch facility near Brownsville at the tip of Texas where the Rio Grande empties into the Gulf of Mexico.  I used to go fishing there when I was in high school in San Benito a few miles north of the launch site.  The Padre Island resort community is just to the east of the launch site.