The ‘Starship’ rocket of the American space company SpaceX will have to remain grounded for the time being after its failed test flight – reports krone.at. The American Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) decided this on Friday and ordered the company of tech billionaire Elon Musk to conduct an investigation.
The upper rocket stage exploded on Friday during a test flight over the Caribbean. The largest rocket system ever built failed to complete a seventh test flight as planned.
The upper portion of the Starship was lost shortly after launch. However, the lower part reached Earth as planned and could be captured again (see video), the space company SpaceX, founded by Musk, announced on its website.
After the planned separation of the two rocket parts, the upper part of “Starship” successfully ignited six engines, according to SpaceX. However, contact with the spaceship was later lost. “Initial data indicate that a fire started at the rear of the ship, leading to a rapid, unplanned dismantling,” SpaceX wrote.
Lower rocket stage secured with gripping arms
During the test flight it was at least possible to use gripping arms to catch the lower rocket stage on the launch tower in the US state of Texas, something that had only been achieved once before and had not worked during the previous test flight.
The missile system was first tested in April 2023 – and completely exploded after a few minutes. During further testing, the upper stage had already reached space and landed in a controlled manner in the Indian Ocean.
“Starship” is taller than the Statue of Liberty
The Starship consists of two parts that separate after launch: the approximately 70 meter long “Super Heavy” booster and the upper stage, also called “Starship”, which measures approximately 50 meters. Overall, the system is bigger than the Statue of Liberty.
SpaceX wants to reach Mars with rocket
Both parts, the booster and the spacecraft, are designed to be reusable upon return to Earth. The American space agency NASA wants to send astronauts to the moon with the ‘Starship’, while SpaceX wants to reach Mars one day.
The competition is now catching up
Just a day earlier, a competitor had launched its first test flight: the ‘New Glenn’ rocket from Amazon founder Jeff Bezos’ space company Blue Origin reached the planned orbit, but did not land on a platform in the Atlantic Ocean as planned.
Blue Origin wants to compete with SpaceX in the future with the rocket, which is considerably smaller than the Starship.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
