SpaceX’s rocket lifted off from Boca Chica, Texas, on its eighth flight test, powered by the Super Heavy booster and its 33 Raptor engines. However, the attempt to achieve a stable trajectory in space was interrupted by an anomaly that triggered the loss of several engines and, subsequently, the explosion of the ship.
Unexpected ending: Why did the Starship spacecraft explode?
The launch occurred as planned, with a well-executed hot separation between the Super Heavy booster and the Starship spacecraft. As the rocket returned to the landing zone, Starship continued its ascent, but an energy event at the rear of the craft caused multiple engines to fail, leading to a loss of control and aborted mission.
The incident prompted SpaceX to immediately coordinate with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and air traffic authorities to manage the situation . The craft was confirmed to be flying within a designated corridor to ensure the safety of the population. The debris from the explosion fell into the planned debris response area, with no reports of serious environmental damage or impacts on marine species.
Following the explosion, debris from the spacecraft was reported to have fallen across a wide area from South Florida to the Bahamas. Local authorities and SpaceX teams monitored the situation to assess potential risks. Fortunately, preliminary reports indicate that the debris did not contain toxic materials and did not pose a significant threat to safety or the environment.
The causes are being investigated.
SpaceX announced that it will conduct an investigation in conjunction with the FAA to determine the exact causes of the anomaly. Despite the outcome, the company stressed that each test provides valuable information to improve the reliability of the Starship launch system, key to its goal of future interplanetary missions.
While the aerospace community is analyzing the incident, SpaceX is already working on implementing improvements to optimize the endurance and performance of the Starship system on future flights.
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Source and photo: Space X