Thread by @BiIndia

Minutes after a seemingly successful landing, SpaceX's Starship rocket exploded on the pad

businessinsider.in/science/news/m…

#SpaceX #spacexsn10

#SpaceX finally launched a prototype of its #Starship rocket miles into the air on Wednesday, then landed it successfully. But 10 minutes later, the rocket exploded.

#SpaceXStarship

The roughly 16-story test vehicle - called #Starship serial No. 10, or SN10 - lifted off at 5:14 p.m. on Wednesday. As it climbed, it shut off one engine and then another.

#SpaceX #SpaceXStarship

The rocket hovered at the peak of its flight for about 30 seconds, then cut its last engine, tipped over, and belly-flopped toward the ground.

#Starship #SpaceX #SpaceXStarship

As it neared the ground, the Raptor engines reignited, flipped SN10 upright, and slowly lowered it to the landing pad. But a fire persisted around the rocket's skirt. Then about 10 minutes later, an explosion thrust SN10 back into the air, leaving it in pieces.

#Starship #SpaceX

The prototype's predecessors, SN8 and SN9, completed similar high-altitude flights but flubbed their landings. They each slammed into the landing pad and immediately blew up.

#Starship #SpaceX #SpaceXStarship

If it works, the Starship-Super Heavy launch system could slash the cost of reaching space 1,000-fold, since it would eliminate the need to build new rockets and spaceships for each spaceflight.

#Starship #SpaceX #SpaceXStarship

#ElonMusk wants to construct a fleet of reusable Starships to power round-the-world hypersonic travel on Earth, fly astronauts to the moon, and one day carry people to Mars.

#Starship #SpaceX #SpaceXStarship

Musk says he is "highly confident" #SpaceX will launch an uncrewed #Starship to Mars in 2024, followed by a crewed mission in 2026.

#ElonMusk #SpaceXStarship