SpaceX’s Starship explodes in second test flight

Nov 20, 2023

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SpaceX’s Starship, intended for lunar missions, launched from Boca Chica, Texas on Saturday, Nov. 18, but the launch was deemed a failure as the Super Heavy booster exploded over the Gulf of Mexico after detachment. Minutes later, the core Starship continued into space before exploding. SpaceX officials suggest that the ship’s self-destruct system was likely responsible for its destruction over the Gulf of Mexico.

SpaceX's mega rocket Starship launches for a test flight from Starbase in Boca Chica, Texas, Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) — Associated Press

SpaceX mission control lost contact with the craft after nearly eight minutes. This launch was the second attempt to fly Starship atop its Super Heavy rocket booster, following an April attempt that ended in failure about four minutes after takeoff with an explosion.

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In contrast to the previous April attempt, all 33 booster engines functioned. The booster also separated smoothly from the spaceship before exploding, achieving an altitude of 92 miles.

The mission aimed to launch the 400-foot Starship from Texas, reaching space but falling short of orbit, and then re-entering Earth’s atmosphere for a splashdown off the coast of Hawaii. Originally scheduled for Friday, Nov. 17, the launch was delayed by a day due to a last-minute exchange of flight-control hardware.

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration — responsible for supervising commercial launch sites — confirmed no injuries or property damage in the area.

SpaceX was awarded a nearly $3 billion contract with NASA in 2021 to bring two astronauts to the moon’s surface. NASA’s first Artemis mission moon landing is scheduled for 2025.

SpaceX has a history of facing catastrophic failures with its rocket systems. The company’s first rocket, Falcon 1, experienced failures in three out of five launches. In the development of Falcon 9, SpaceX faced four flight failures before successfully achieving the separation of different rocket stages without destruction.

Falcon 9 is now SpaceX’s workhorse taking satellites and astronauts to orbit. It has successfully launched 247 times and relaunched 207 times. It is the world’s first reusable rocket.

Tags: Federal Aviation Administration, Gulf of Mexico, NASA, Satellites, Space Technology, SpaceX, Texas