The rocket only stayed in the air for about three minutes.
(Photo: via REUTERS)
Brownsville The largest rocket system ever built “Starship” broke apart on its first test flight a few minutes after launch. That showed Live pictures on Thursday. Elon Musk’s private space company SpaceX still rated the test as a success.
“As if the flight test wasn’t exciting enough, there was a rapid unplanned breakup of the Starship prior to stage separation,” SpaceX tweeted. “Success in a test like this depends on what we learn, and today’s test will help us improve the reliability of Starship.”
The team will now evaluate the test data extensively and work towards the next test start.
The “Starship” initially lifted off the ground on Thursday in Brownsville, Texas, with a lot of fire and smoke. A few minutes later – shortly before the two rocket stages separated – the live images showed how the rocket system began to stagger and finally broke up with fire. Actually, the test should have lasted about 90 minutes and ended with the landing of both stages.
“Starship” – consisting of the approximately 70-meter-long “Super Heavy” booster and the approximately 50-meter-long upper stage, also called “Starship”, is intended to enable manned missions to the moon and Mars. The first test start was actually planned for Monday, but was then postponed to Thursday due to a problem with a valve.
The system is designed so that the spacecraft and rocket can be reused after returning to earth.
(Photo: via REUTERS)
The “Starship” system is designed in such a way that the spaceship and rocket can be reused after returning to earth. The upper stage had already been tested on its own several times, but this was the first combined flight test of the entire missile system.
The system, which is around 120 meters long in total, should be able to transport well over 100 tons of cargo in the future. The rocket is powered by 33 “Raptor” engines that run on liquid methane and liquid oxygen. The system should be able to be refueled in space. With the SpaceX “Starship”, the US space agency Nasa wants to bring astronauts to the moon. SpaceX hopes to one day get to Mars.
More: Why the Starship is so important that its launch has been postponed