The third test flight of the gigantic SpaceX rocket “Starship” also failed. Apparently it was destroyed during its re-entry into the Earth’s atmosphere. One day it will carry people to the moon and Mars.
The largest rocket system ever built also failed to complete a third test flight. The unmanned “Starship” made it into space after taking off from SpaceX’s Starbase space station in Boca Chica, Texas. However, it was destroyed when it re-entered the Earth’s atmosphere, as the commentators on the live stream from the space company SpaceX said.
A test flight lasting around an hour was planned, after which both rocket stages were to land in the sea. The lower rocket stage also started to land, but then didn’t make it, as the commentators reported: “We lost the rocket stage, so we have to look at the data again.”
More goals achieved than in previous tests
The upper rocket stage entered space for the first time, where it remained for around half an hour before it was lost during re-entry into the Earth’s atmosphere. This means that more goals were achieved in the third test than in the previous two.
During a first test last April, the entire rocket system exploded after just a few minutes. During a second test in November, the two rocket stages separated and the upper one continued to fly, but shortly afterwards both exploded separately. SpaceX always emphasizes that the goal of the tests is to collect data.
Manned missions to the Moon and Mars
In the future, the system, which is around 120 meters long, will be able to transport well over 100 tons of cargo. It consists of an approximately 70 meter long booster and an approximately 50 meter long upper stage and is intended to enable manned missions to the Moon and Mars. The US space agency NASA also plans to use “Starship” for its moon landing mission Artemis.
The system is designed so that the spacecraft and rocket can be reused after returning to Earth. This should make space missions cheaper.
Ralf Borchard, ARD Washington, tagesschau, March 14, 2024 5:53 p.m