SpaceX’s mega rocket blasted off on another test flight Thursday and made it farther than two previous attempts, but the spacecraft was lost as it descended back to Earth. The company said it lost contact with the spacecraft as it neared its goal, a splashdown in the Indian Ocean, about an hour after liftoff from the southern tip of Texas near the Mexican border. Two test flights last year both ended in explosions minutes after liftoff.
Quick Read
- SpaceX’s Starship rocket advanced further in its latest test flight than in two previous attempts, although it ultimately did not achieve its goal due to losing contact with the spacecraft before splashdown.
- The test flight, which took off from near the southern tip of Texas, saw the rocket head over the Gulf of Mexico, where the booster successfully separated and landed in the gulf, but the spacecraft continued toward the Indian Ocean.
- Despite making significant progress compared to the previous flights, which ended in explosions shortly after launch, the mission fell short as the spacecraft was lost before its intended splashdown in the Indian Ocean, about an hour post-liftoff.
- No crew members or payloads were aboard the spacecraft during this test flight, focusing on the rocket’s capabilities and recovery process.
- SpaceX commentators acknowledged the loss of the spacecraft but highlighted the test flight’s progress, emphasizing the advancements made in this attempt.
- SpaceX’s Starship rocket achieved a significant milestone in its latest test flight, surpassing previous attempts by avoiding explosions and completing a planned trajectory.
- The rocket, launching from Texas, demonstrated improved performance by successfully separating the booster from the spacecraft, which then continued its journey over the Gulf of Mexico towards the Indian Ocean.
- Standing at 397 feet, Starship is the tallest and most powerful rocket ever constructed, eclipsing even NASA’s moon rockets.
- The test flight, which carried no passengers or payloads, marks a crucial step forward for SpaceX, with company founder Elon Musk acknowledging the progress made since the company’s inception 22 years ago.
- NASA is particularly invested in Starship’s success, as it plans to utilize the spacecraft for future moon missions, including landing astronauts on the lunar surface within the next couple of years.
The Associated Press has the story:
Third test flight of SpaceX’s mega rocket ends with loss of spacecraft
Newslooks- (AP)
SpaceX’s mega rocket blasted off on another test flight Thursday and made it farther than two previous attempts, but the spacecraft was lost as it descended back to Earth.
The company said it lost contact with the spacecraft as it neared its goal, a splashdown in the Indian Ocean, about an hour after liftoff from the southern tip of Texas near the Mexican border.
T wo test flights last year both ended in explosions minutes after liftoff.
Starship, the biggest and most powerful rocket ever built, headed out over the Gulf of Mexico after launch Thursday. Minutes later, the booster separated seamlessly from the spaceship and splashed down into the gulf and the spacecraft continued eastward. No people or satellites were on board.
An hour later, SpaceX commentators said contact had been lost with the spacecraft.
“The ship has been lost. So no splashdown today,” said SpaceX’s Dan Huot. “But again, it’s incredible to see how much further we got this time around.”
SpaceX’s mega rocket blasted off on another test flight Thursday, this time with the spacecraft reaching enough speed to coast toward its finish line halfway around the world.
It outperformed the previous two test flights, which both ended in explosions minutes after liftoff.
Starship, the biggest and most powerful rocket ever built, soared from the southern tip of Texas near the Mexican border before it headed out over the Gulf of Mexico. No people or satellites were on board.
Minutes later, the booster separated seamlessly from the spaceship and splashed down into the gulf. The spacecraft continued eastward for a planned hourlong flight and splashdown in the Indian Ocean.
The rocket and futuristic-looking spacecraft towers 397 feet (121 meters), easily exceeding NASA’s past and present moon rockets.
SpaceX’s Elon Musk congratulated his team.“SpaceX has come a long way,” Musk said via X, former Twitter. The rocket company was founded exactly 22 years ago Thursday.
NASA watched with keen interest: The space agency needs Starship to succeed in order to land astronauts on the moon in the next two or so years. This new crop of moonwalkers — the first since last century’s Apollo program — will descend to the lunar surface in a Starship, at least the first couple times.
