Watch the moment SpaceX Starship crushed a major milestone in latest test
Many reports following SpaceX’s ninth flight test for Starshipon Tuesday emphasized disaster: The 关键字3company’s massive rocket and uncrewed spacecraft exploded — again.
But each demonstration has had specific objectives, and though Starship didn’t come close to acing them allthis time, one in particular was a breakthrough toward making the rocket and ship reusable. That's a crucial goal for SpaceX, which hopes to use the ship to send people to the moonand Marsin a financially sustainable way.
The launch, which lifted off from SpaceX’s private spaceport in south Texas on May 27, saw the first re-flown booster in action. The test was broadcast on SpaceX founder Elon Musk's social platform, X. During the livestream, cheers erupted at Starbasewhen the spacecraft’s engines ignited and the Super Heavy booster — also used in a January test— separated from it and fell back toward Earth.
You May Also Like
"Six healthy Raptors running on Ship, on its way to space," a commentator said excitedly, referring to its powerful engines. "Peek that engine view."
That crucial moment can be watched in a video clip presented further down in this story.
SEE ALSO: NASA astronauts are proud bedwetters. They even practice.
During a livestream of the test, spectators got a closeup look at Starship's Raptor engines in space. Credit: SpaceX / X screenshot The thrill of the achievement didn't last long, perhaps eclipsed by yet another failure. The booster detached from Starship in a method called hot-staging, which means the top part of the rocket starts its engines while still connected to the booster.
That was all part of the plan — a strategy intended to make for a smoother transition — as was the booster flipping itself around after the split. But as the booster neared its landing spot, something went wrong. It broke apart in the air over the Gulf of Mexico, ensuring it definitely won't be reused again.
Starship is a 400-foot-tall beast. The test flight was the rocket system's third this year. The previous two ended in explosionsas well, though Tuesday's flight lasted much longer, flying for 46 minutes before flight controllers lost contact with it. The ship wreckage rained over the Indian Ocean.
In a company statementfollowing the test, SpaceX said it couldn't deploy mock satellites in space as expected because Starship's door to release them jammed. The ship also struggled to control its position in orbit, which meant it couldn't restart an engine or prepare for reentry into the atmosphere.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.
The above X post features a video of the key moment a reused Starship booster nails its separation and flip in the ninth flight test.
Related Stories
- SpaceX says refueling its Starship in space won't be scary
- Astronauts watch SpaceX's Starship explode in space during flight test
- The best telescopes for gazing at stars and solar eclipses in 2024
- Private spacecraft circling moon snaps photo with strange optical illusion
- SpaceX gives unprecedented access to this tech artist
SpaceX has faced criticism for its previous Starship test failures. Its executives insist that building fast, destroying expensive hardware, and learning quickly from mistakes are all part of the company's philosophy — in stark contrast with NASA's much slower approach.
NASA will depend on the rocket company to ferry astronauts to the lunar surface on a modified Starship for the Artemis III and IVmoon missions under a $4.2 billion contract. To do that, SpaceX first has to master refueling its shipin space. For Musk, Starship is also a passion project to eventually send people to settle a city on Mars.
The company says it's planning to make more improvements to the prototype before the next flight test.
"Developmental testing by definition is unpredictable," SpaceX said in a statement, "but every lesson learned marks progress toward Starship’s goal of enabling life to become multiplanetary."
下一篇：I was ready to dismiss Switch 2 GameChat, but so far I love it
- ·光大银行、光大理财发布《中国资产管理市场2024
- ·阿联酋主裁将执法国足VS巴林 曾两度主哨泰山亚冠比赛
- ·山西诚信壹电子科技有限公司
- ·视频通过去：百亿哪吒娱乐圈破防
- ·《洞窟冒险团物语》PC版下载 Steam正版分流下载
- ·古今对话，中西合璧！十五运会奖牌设计藏着文化大融合
- ·陈忱：悬疑世界的“完美灾难”：观90后作家的文学突围
- ·"ทักษิณ" ไม่ไปศาล 13 มิ.ย. ส่งทนายเป็นตัวแทน
- ·骁龙8至尊版发布，自研第二代Oryon CPU登陆手机
- ·4GB vs. 8GB: How Have VRAM Requirements Evolved?
- ·联运携手中环协 提升智慧环卫新高度
- ·Best headphones deal: Save $120 on Sony WH
- ·Intrepid moon lander witnesses truly breathtaking lunar sunrise
- ·党建引领垃圾分类 共享小区文明成果
- ·"ทักษิณ" ไม่ไปศาล 13 มิ.ย. ส่งทนายเป็นตัวแทน
- ·"ทักษิณ" ไม่ไปศาล 13 มิ.ย. ส่งทนายเป็นตัวแทน