Explosions End Second Test Flight of SpaceX Giant Rocket
SpaceX launched its giant rocket Starship on November 18, but lost both the booster and the spaceship in a pair of explosions minutes into the test flight.
The ship reached space following liftoff from South Texas before communication was suddenly lost. SpaceX officials said it appears the ship's self-destruct system blew it up over the Gulf of Mexico.
Minutes earlier, the separated booster had also exploded.
The launch demo lasted about eight minutes, about twice as long as the first test in April, which also ended in an explosion.
At nearly 121 meters, Starship is the biggest and most powerful rocket ever built, with the goal of ferrying people to the moon and Mars.
"The real topping on the cake today, that successful liftoff," said SpaceX commentator John Insprucker, noting that all 33 booster engines fired as designed, unlike last time. The booster also separated without a problem from the spaceship, which reached an altitude of 148 kilometers.
Commentator Kate Tice added: "We got so much data, and that will all help us to improve for our next flight."
SpaceX founder Elon Musk was watching from behind launch controllers in Texas.
SpaceX had been aiming for an altitude of 240 kilometers, just high enough to send the spaceship around the globe before ditching into the Pacific near Hawaii about 1 1/2 hours after liftoff.
Following April's flight demo, SpaceX made dozens of improvements to the rocket as well as the launch pad.
After the launch, the Federal Aviation Administration said that an investigation was underway to determine what went wrong. SpaceX cannot launch another Starship until the review is complete and corrections made, the FAA added.
NASA is counting on Starship to land astronauts on the moon by the end of 2025 or soon after and has awarded SpaceX a $3 billion contract to make it happen.
"Today's test is an opportunity to learn — then fly again," noted NASA Administrator Bill Nelson via X, formerly known as Twitter.
