SpaceX Experiences Explosions During Starship’s Second Test Flight

SpaceX’s colossal rocket, Starship, experienced a setback during its recent test flight, resulting in the loss of both the spacecraft and its booster due to explosions shortly after takeoff on Saturday.

The Starship successfully reached space after launching from South Texas, but communication was abruptly lost. SpaceX representatives indicated that the spacecraft likely activated its self-destruct mechanism while over the Gulf of Mexico.

The booster had also disintegrated over the gulf minutes before, having completed its primary function by then.

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The duration of Saturday’s demonstration was around eight minutes, which is double the length of April’s first test, also marred by an explosion. The latest flight terminated just as the ship’s engines were nearing the completion of their burn to set it on a global trajectory.

Standing at nearly 400 feet (121 meters), Starship is the tallest and most potent rocket ever constructed, aiming to transport humans to the moon and Mars.

SpaceX commentator John Insprucker expressed excitement over the successful launch, highlighting that all 33 booster engines functioned as planned, an improvement over the previous test. The booster’s smooth detachment from the spacecraft, which ascended to 92 miles (148 kilometers), was also noted.

Kate Tice, another commentator, stressed the value of the data collected from the flight, which would contribute to future enhancements.

Elon Musk, the founder of SpaceX, observed the launch from the company’s southernmost Texas location, near Boca Chica Beach, close to the Mexico border. Meanwhile, SpaceX staff in Hawthorne, California, initially celebrated the launch, but the mood shifted upon realizing the spaceship’s destruction.

SpaceX’s target altitude for this test was 150 miles (240 kilometers), aiming to orbit the spacecraft around Earth before it plunged into the Pacific near Hawaii, about 90 minutes post-launch, not completing a full orbit.

Post-April’s flight, SpaceX implemented several improvements to both the rocket and the launch pad. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approved the flight on Wednesday, confirming adherence to all safety and environmental standards.

Following the launch, the FAA confirmed no public damage or injuries and announced an investigation to determine the cause of the failure. SpaceX is prohibited from launching another Starship until the investigation concludes and necessary adjustments are made.

NASA, which has entrusted SpaceX with a $3 billion contract, expects Starship to land astronauts on the moon by late 2025 or shortly after. This mission involves transferring astronauts from NASA’s Orion capsule to Starship in lunar orbit before descending to the moon’s surface.

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, speaking via X (formerly known as Twitter), emphasized the importance of subsequent flights.

Starship stands 34 feet (10 meters) taller than NASA’s historic Saturn V rocket and 75 feet (23 meters) above NASA’s Space Launch System rocket, which orbited the moon last year without a crew. Starship also boasts approximately twice the liftoff thrust of these predecessors.

As with the previous test, Starship carried no valuable cargo during this trial run.

Once operational, Musk intends to use these fully reusable mega rockets for satellite deployments, lunar missions, and eventually, voyages to Mars.

The Big Big News Health and Science Department, supported by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group, provided this report. The AP maintains full editorial responsibility for the content.

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