SpaceX’s Starship took off from Texas on Saturday morning and reached space before both boosters and spacecraft disappeared in a pair of explosions minutes into the test flight.
The rocket ship reached space after liftoff from Boca Chica, but communication was suddenly lost.
SpaceX officials said it appears the ship’s self-destruct system blew it up over the Gulf of Mexico.
“What we’re doing will provide invaluable data to continue rapidly developing Starship,” Elon Musk’s company announced Saturday after the early-morning event drew crowds to a nearby beach. Musk watched from behind a guard at the base.
“With tests like this, success comes from what we learn, and today’s test will help us improve the reliability of Starship as SpaceX strives to make life multiplanetary,” SpaceX added.
The flight was terminated as the ship’s engines were nearly fired to put it on its way around the world.
SpaceX launched its Starship mega-rocket but lost both booster and spacecraft in a pair of explosions minutes into a test flight on Saturday.REUTERS
The first test flight in April also ended in an explosion – although it also got cheers from the control center and Musk.
Congratulations to the @SpaceX team on an exciting Starship test launch!” musk posted to X, at that time. “A lot was learned for the next test launch in a few months.”
The rocket has a first stage booster known as a Super Heavy and an upper stage Starship spacecraft. During Saturday’s launch, the two parts successfully separated in flight for the first time before the separated Booster exploded over the bay.
People watch as SpaceX’s next-generation Starship spacecraft takes off on a powerful Super Heavy rocket.REUTERS
By then, however, his job was done.
Despite the failure, the roughly eight-minute flight lasted twice as long as the April test.
At nearly 400 feet, Starship is the largest and most powerful rocket ever built, with the goal of taking people to the moon and Mars.
The rocket ship reached space after liftoff from South Texas, but communications were suddenly lost. AFP via Getty Images
“The real topping on the cake today, the successful launch,” said SpaceX commentator John Insprucker.
Added commentator Kate Tice: “We’re getting so much data, and it’s all going to help us improve for the next flight.”
At the company’s headquarters in Hawthorne, California, employees cheered as the Starship finally lifted off at dawn.
The flight was terminated as the ship’s engines were nearly fired to put it on its way around the world. AFP via Getty Images
The room fell silent as it became clear that the spaceship had been destroyed and crashed into the bay.
SpaceX had aimed for an altitude of 150 miles, high enough to send the bullet-shaped spacecraft around the world before plunging into the Pacific near Hawaii about 1 1/2 hours after liftoff, less than a full orbit.
Despite the failure, the roughly eight-minute flight lasted twice as long as the April test. Reuters
Following the April demo flight, SpaceX made dozens of improvements to the booster and its 33 engines and launch pad.
The Federal Aviation Administration cleared the rocket for flight on Wednesday, after confirming that all safety and environmental concerns had been met.
With Postal wire
Categories: Trending
Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
