A recent test flight of SpaceX’s Starship rocket ended in failure, marking the third consecutive unsuccessful launch. The rocket began to spin uncontrollably about 30 minutes after its launch due to fuel leaks, ultimately breaking up upon reentry into Earth’s atmosphere. A SpaceX commentator highlighted the difficulty of the mission, stating the slim chances of the rocket reaching the Indian Ocean.
Despite initial hopes for success following previous setbacks in January and March, the mission did not go as planned. SpaceX had hoped to deploy mock satellites but abandoned the plan due to a malfunctioning payload door. The Super Heavy booster failed to make a soft landing, instead crashing into the Gulf of Mexico.
The failure is a setback for SpaceX’s ambitious plans, including using Starship to transport people and cargo to Mars. Previous unsuccessful launches disrupted numerous flights across the US, leading to a two-month grounding for investigation. Elon Musk’s speech on space exploration ambitions was postponed without explanation.
Despite the setback, Musk regarded the test as a “big improvement” and pledged to accelerate future launches, with the next three flights planned in a span of three to four weeks. Including SpaceX’s contributions, NASA will be closely observing Starship’s development, as the US space agency aims to return astronauts to the Moon within the next 12 months.
Musk’s commitment to his ventures, which include Tesla, X, and SpaceX, was underscored by his presence during the test flight, which he watched wearing an “Occupy Mars” T-shirt. This incident reflects the ongoing challenges and uncertainties of space travel, with SpaceX remaining resolute in advancing technological progress.
Source: https://news.sky.com/story/spacex-starship-rocket-spins-out-of-control-on-test-flight-marking-third-failure-in-a-row-13375733
