SpaceX’s new Starship rocket, measuring nearly 120 meters, was launched on its maiden test flight with the goal of traveling around the world from Texas. Unfortunately, the rocket exploded four minutes into its flight, tumbling and crashing into the Gulf of Mexico. This was the second launch attempt, after the first was called off due to a frozen booster valve.
The plan was for the rocket to separate from the spacecraft and then continue on to attempt a trip around the world, ultimately crashing into the Pacific near Hawaii. The company’s goal is to use Starship to transport people and cargo to the moon and Mars, with NASA already reserving a Starship for its next moonwalking team, and wealthy tourists booking lunar flybys.
The Starship rocket is designed to be fully reusable, with a fast turnaround and dramatically lower costs, similar to SpaceX’s smaller Falcon rockets. However, nothing was salvageable from this test flight. The stainless steel rocket is powered by 33 methane-fueled engines, providing nearly 17 million pounds of thrust and surpassing NASA’s moon rockets in size. Despite the setback, the company is sure to continue refining and testing the Starship for future successful launches.
SOURCE: By euronews with AP, AFP
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