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By Tom Howarth
Science Reporter (Nature)
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SpaceX's latest test of its Starship rocket, the world's largest and most powerful launch vehicle, ended in dramatic fashion on Thursday as the upper stage disintegrated over the Atlantic Ocean.
The test, conducted from SpaceX's Starbase in Boca Chica, Texas, saw the Super Heavy booster perform a successful controlled descent, marking a partial success. However, the upper stage encountered a propulsion anomaly approximately 10 minutes into the flight, leading to its failure.
Elon Musk, never one to shy away from commenting on technical setbacks, posted a video of the explosion on X (formerly Twitter) with the caption, "Success is uncertain, but entertainment is guaranteed!"
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Why This Matters
This is the seventh test of Starship, the vehicle tasked with returning NASA astronauts to the moon by the end of this decade.
While SpaceX has achieved remarkable success over the last few years with both Starship and the already commercialized Falcon 9, the failure yesterday highlights the challenges and ambition of the company's space program.
Musk's ultimate goal of reaching Mars hinges on the success of Starship, which aims to serve as a fully reusable space transportation system.
Why Did Starship Explode?
Preliminary findings suggest the explosion was caused by an oxygen/fuel leak in a cavity above the engine firewall, resulting in a fire that overwhelmed the venting system, Musk said.
Corrective measures, including fire suppression and increased vent capacity, are already being planned for the next test flight.
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SpaceX reported on its website that telemetry was lost approximately eight and a half minutes into the flight, with data indicating a fire in the aft section of the ship prior to the "rapid unscheduled disassembly."
When Was SpaceX's Last Successful Launch?
SpaceX successfully executed a booster catch during the Starship Flight 5 mission in October. However, its subsequent November test failed when communication with the launch tower computer was lost, prompting the team to err on the side of caution.
Despite these setbacks, SpaceX continues its streak of successful Falcon 9 launches, having completed 436 missions with 298 booster landings and 368 reflights.
The day before the Starship test, the company successfully launched Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost Mission 1 using the Falcon 9 rocket. The Blue Ghost lander is now on its 45-day journey to the moon's near side, where it will deliver science and technology demonstrations for NASA.
What People Are Saying
Musk said in another post on X: "Improved versions of the ship & booster already waiting for launch."
Jeff Bezos, who's competitor company Blue Origin launched its own massive New Glenn rocket into orbital space for the first time on Thursday, replied to Musk, saying: "Kudos to you and the whole SpaceX team on the flawless booster catch! Very impressive."
What Happens Next
SpaceX is already gearing up for Starship's eighth test flight, with the next rocket and booster undergoing prelaunch testing. Musk indicated that the next launch could occur as soon as next month, though an exact date has not been set.
Meanwhile, SpaceX has requested Federal Aviation Administration approval to increase its annual Starship launches from five to 25, a proposal currently under public review.
With its sights set on enabling multiplanetary life, SpaceX remains undeterred. As the company noted on its website, "As always, success comes from what we learn, and this flight test will help us improve Starship's reliability."
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