SpaceX unveiled its next-generation rocket today, intended for missions to the moon and Mars. During the launch, however, the rocket exploded, prompting cheers from employees who had gathered to watch a live stream of the event. The Starship s rocket, the most powerful ever developed rocket, blasted in space yesterday, but the rocket explodes minutes after it cleared the launch pad during a flight test Thursday. The explosion happened while SpaceX engineers were waiting for the separation.
The problem of the explosion and separation failure was not immediately known, but the fact that the rocket's blast-off already meant the test was considered a success by the company.
The uncrewed rocket was lit and launched into the sky for about four minutes, however, the separation of the spacecraft from the booster atop the rocket appears to have failed. However, some of the 33 engines of the booster appeared not to have ignited. The rocket slid downwards then eventually exploding.
SpaceX's Chief Executive, Bill Nelson, congratulated SpaceX for the test.
The starship, which can lift astronauts to locations beyond the Moon, is powered by engines capable of generating 17 million pounds of thrust. The starship's innovative method of using reusable launchers could ultimately result in individual flights costing less than $10 million.
Starship plays a crucial role in NASA's Artemis program to launch cargo and humans on the moon in 2025 as part of the effort to launch cargo and humans on the moon. Elon Musk, SpaceX's CEO, tells the Mars Society Virtual Convention that the SpaceX Starship launch plan to Mars will be completed by 2024.
I think we have got a fighting chance, he said of the 2024 Mars transport window. Musk said he plans to use the Starship to launch people to the moon and Mars in the near future.