AUSTIN – The SpaceX Starship rocket exploded minutes after it lifted offduring a test flight from the launch site at Boca Chica, Texas, on Thursday.
The Starship, the most powerful rocket ever built and is designed to sendastronauts to the moon, Mars or beyond, successfully lifted off from theorbital launch pad at 8:33 am CT, for the first time.
“The vehicle cleared the pad and beach as Starship climbed to an apogee of~39 km over the Gulf of Mexico – the highest of any Starship to-date. Thevehicle experienced multiple engines out during the flight test, lostaltitude, and began to tumble,” the Elon Musk owned company said in astatement.
“The flight termination system was commanded on both the booster and ship.As is standard procedure, the pad and surrounding area was cleared well inadvance of the test, and we expect the road and beach near the pad toremain closed until tomorrow.”
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Musk, in a tweet, termed it “an exciting test launch of Starship! Learned alot for next test launch in a few months.” SpaceX termed it a “rapidunscheduled disassembly.”
In the weeks leading up to the flight, Musk gave 50-50 odds that thespacecraft would reach orbit.