Starship by SpaceX Explodes During Its Seventh Test Flight
SpaceX's Starship experienced an explosion during its seventh test flight.
TroibNews 
SpaceX conducted its latest test flight of the Starship rocket on Thursday, but the mission ended in failure when the spacecraft was destroyed after a dramatic booster catch back at the launch pad.
The company announced that Starship had experienced a "rapid unscheduled disassembly." During ascent, its six engines appeared to shut down sequentially, and contact was lost just 8.5 minutes into the flight.
This flight was an upgraded model of the spacecraft, designed to traverse the Gulf of Mexico from Texas on a path similar to previous test flights. SpaceX had equipped the Starship with 10 dummy satellites to practice the process of deploying them.
One minute before the loss of the spacecraft, SpaceX successfully used the launch tower's massive mechanical arms to catch the returning booster, a feat accomplished only once before. The booster hovered above the launch pad before being securely gripped by the robotic arms referred to as "chopsticks."
While the successful catch initially sparked excitement, it was followed by disappointment for both the company and the spectators gathered at the southern tip of Texas. SpaceX spokesman Dan Huot remarked, "It was great to see a booster come down, but we are obviously bummed out about ship." He emphasized, "It's a flight test. It's an experimental vehicle."
The last data from the spacecraft indicated that it had reached an altitude of 90 miles and a speed of 13,245 mph.
Elon Musk mentioned that a preliminary analysis indicated that leaking fuel might have created pressure in a cavity above the engine firewall. He stated via X that fire suppression measures would be added in that area, along with increased venting and thorough checks for leaks.
The 400-foot rocket launched in the late afternoon from Boca Chica Beach near the Mexican border. Launching at this time ensured that the spacecraft would enter daytime skies halfway around the world in the Indian Ocean, but unfortunately, it never traveled that far.
For this latest demo, SpaceX enhanced the spacecraft and included a set of satellite mockups. These test satellites mirrored the size of the Starlink internet satellites and, like the Starship itself, were designed to be destroyed upon re-entry.
Musk intends to use Starships to launch actual Starlinks before progressing to other satellites and eventually carrying crews.
This flight marked the seventh test for the largest and most powerful rocket in the world. NASA has already earmarked two Starships for future missions to land astronauts on the moon later in the decade, while Musk has his sights set on Mars.
Camille Lefevre contributed to this report for TROIB News
The company announced that Starship had experienced a "rapid unscheduled disassembly." During ascent, its six engines appeared to shut down sequentially, and contact was lost just 8.5 minutes into the flight.
This flight was an upgraded model of the spacecraft, designed to traverse the Gulf of Mexico from Texas on a path similar to previous test flights. SpaceX had equipped the Starship with 10 dummy satellites to practice the process of deploying them.
One minute before the loss of the spacecraft, SpaceX successfully used the launch tower's massive mechanical arms to catch the returning booster, a feat accomplished only once before. The booster hovered above the launch pad before being securely gripped by the robotic arms referred to as "chopsticks."
While the successful catch initially sparked excitement, it was followed by disappointment for both the company and the spectators gathered at the southern tip of Texas. SpaceX spokesman Dan Huot remarked, "It was great to see a booster come down, but we are obviously bummed out about ship." He emphasized, "It's a flight test. It's an experimental vehicle."
The last data from the spacecraft indicated that it had reached an altitude of 90 miles and a speed of 13,245 mph.
Elon Musk mentioned that a preliminary analysis indicated that leaking fuel might have created pressure in a cavity above the engine firewall. He stated via X that fire suppression measures would be added in that area, along with increased venting and thorough checks for leaks.
The 400-foot rocket launched in the late afternoon from Boca Chica Beach near the Mexican border. Launching at this time ensured that the spacecraft would enter daytime skies halfway around the world in the Indian Ocean, but unfortunately, it never traveled that far.
For this latest demo, SpaceX enhanced the spacecraft and included a set of satellite mockups. These test satellites mirrored the size of the Starlink internet satellites and, like the Starship itself, were designed to be destroyed upon re-entry.
Musk intends to use Starships to launch actual Starlinks before progressing to other satellites and eventually carrying crews.
This flight marked the seventh test for the largest and most powerful rocket in the world. NASA has already earmarked two Starships for future missions to land astronauts on the moon later in the decade, while Musk has his sights set on Mars.
Camille Lefevre contributed to this report for TROIB News
