SpaceX’s massive new rocket starship detonated minutes after taking off on its first test flight, crashing into the Gulf of Mexico.
Elon Musk‘s business planned to launch the largest and most powerful rocket ever built on a round-the-world voyage from the southern tip of Texas near the Mexican border. There were no personnel or satellites aboard the almost 400-foot (120-meter) Starship.
Multiple engines on the 33-engine booster failed to fire as the rocket rose. Moreover causing it to lose altitude and tumble. The rocket’s self-destruct device activated, which caused it to explode and crash into the water.
Instead of a 1 1/2-hour trip with the spaceship on top ripping away and doing a lap around the planet, the entire thing lasted four minutes. The rocket attained a top speed of around 1,300 mph (2,100 kph) and a height of 24 miles (39 km) before turning sideways and crashing.
Crowds gathered on South Padre Island, many miles distant from the closed Boca Chica Beach launch point. In-between the crowd chanted, “Go, baby, go!” as Starship took off with a tremendous roar.
Learned a lot for next launch
Musk described it as “an exciting test launch of Starship!” in a tweet. I learned a lot in preparation for the next test launch in a few months.” It was described by SpaceX as a “rapid unscheduled disassembly.”
Musk assigned the spacecraft a 50-50 chance of reaching orbit in the weeks leading up to the voyage. He emphasised that clearing the launch tower and not destroying the pad would be a victory.
“You never know exactly what’s going to happen,” said SpaceX livestream commentator and engineer John Insprucker. “However, as we promised, excitement is guaranteed, and Starship provided us with a rather spectacular ending.”
The rocket created massive clouds of sand and dust around the launch site. Particles blanketed automobiles and other surfaces in Port Isabel, about 10 miles (6 km) distant. According to John Sandoval, assistant to the city manager, the only other incident was a smashed window at a local shop. “Yes, the rocket shook, rattled, and rolled,” he remarked of it.
