During the test flight of “Starship”, the largest rocket system in the world, not only did the space shuttle explode after a few minutes, the launch pad was also severely damaged. Debris thrown up by the blast also destroyed a minibus parked near the driveway. Despite everything, the aerospace company SpaceX sees a resounding success.
YouTube channel LabPadre filmed Thursday’s launch in Boca Chica, Texas with remote cameras. For safety reasons, no one was allowed to get too close to the starting area. A car was parked too close.
Long distance required
When the largest missile system ever built lifts off on Thursday afternoon, the engines’ ignition throws stones through the air, one of which smashes through the rear window of the minibus. Then everything disappears in a giant cloud of smoke. The video impressively demonstrates why a very long distance is needed for rocket launches.
The rocket launch was filmed from dangerously close range:
The launch pad was badly hit by the launch of the 120 meter high rocket. The engines caused a crater there. Not even all “Raptor” engines could be successfully ignited. At least three failed at launch. Still, the remaining 30 provided enough vertical support to lift the rocket into the air.
Rocket controlled blast
The Starship mounted on the “Super Heavy” booster reached an altitude of almost 40 kilometers. Shortly before the planned stage separation, an error occurred, the missile system had to be blown up in a controlled manner using the self-destruct mechanism.
Billionaire Elon Musk’s private space company SpaceX still considers the launch a success. A lot of data has been collected for future flights – the next test flight of “Starship” is scheduled for a few months.
Researcher from Graz sees “success”
Werner Magnes of the Institute for Space Research (IWF) of the Academy of Sciences (ÖAW) in Graz sees a “success” despite the explosion. In an interview with the APA, he emphasized the enormous size of the rocket: while the European Ariane 5 rocket has a launch weight of 770 tons, the SpaceX system took off more than twice as high with a weight of 5000 tons. .
“That’s quite an achievement,” said Magnes. You now learn “a lot” from the first test, the researcher explains. Because there is an abundance of sensor data about temperatures and speeds that the researchers now have to sift through.
Moon flights as early as 2025?
SpaceX’s ambitious goal: Together with NASA, they want to return astronauts to the moon and later even to Mars as part of the Artemis program. The timetable for the first manned lunar flight is 2025 – the question is whether it can be achieved now.
Source: Krone
I am an experienced and passionate journalist with a strong track record in news website reporting. I specialize in technology coverage, breaking stories on the latest developments and trends from around the world. Working for Today Times Live has given me the opportunity to write thought-provoking pieces that have caught the attention of many readers.
