SpaceX Starship explodes again but edges closer to success
The Starship spacecraft from Elon Musk's SpaceX conducted its ninth test flight on Tuesday, exploding in the air for the third consecutive time. The rocket traveled farther than in previous attempts, but it did not complete a series of other mission objectives.
Starship launched from the space base in Texas with a slight delay due to technical issues. However, once it took off, it flew farther than in previous missions, breaking apart over the Indian Ocean during reentry into the atmosphere.
Why Starship exploded
The first stage of the rocket, the Super Heavy booster, landed as planned in the Gulf of Mexico waters, but its engines failed when it attempted to settle softly on the water. Another crucial failure was the release of mock Starlink satellites during the flight; Starship's mechanism did not release them.
Furthermore, about 20 minutes after the flight began, video connection with the craft was lost. Soon after, it was announced that the rocket had experienced a leak, leading to an uncontrolled flight and causing it to spin on its axis.
During reentry into the atmosphere, contact was lost, and the craft was destroyed. Consequently, SpaceX failed to obtain the anticipated measurements regarding the return to Earth.
The third consecutive flight
This was the third consecutive flight in which Starship crashed, although this time it lasted over 45 minutes, much longer than in previous trials. For the first time, a previously used Super Heavy booster was utilized for launch with partial success. This time, it was not planned to land in the launch area and be caught by the tower’s "chopsticks."
As if the flight test was not exciting enough, Starship experienced a rapid unscheduled disassembly, wrote SpaceX on its profile on the X platform, using a jargon term for the rocket's breakup.
- Teams will continue to review data and work toward our next flight test. With a test like this, success comes from what we learn, and today’s test will help us improve Starship’s reliability as SpaceX seeks to make life multiplanetary, - it added.
Tens of thousands of jobs, billions in private investments
NASA Chief Jared Isaacman stated that while some may focus on failures, behind Starship, like previous major rockets, there is a "massive space economy taking shape."
Tens of thousands of jobs, billions in private investment, all aimed at truly opening the last great frontier. When these capabilities arrive, they will spearhead a new era of exploration and discovery--and the lows will become a chapter in a much longer story, declared the former member of missions organized by SpaceX.
With Starship, Musk—and NASA—have high hopes, as it is expected to be the vehicle that will take humans back to the Moon as part of the Artemis III mission. It is also anticipated to be the spacecraft on which the first astronauts will stand on the Moon. Back in May, the billionaire announced that this year Starship—and not just its booster—would be able to safely land on Earth.
