A SpaceX rocket exploded shortly after launch from Texas on Thursday, causing warnings about falling spaceship remains. The incident occurred during the test of the company’s largest rocket, the Starship, which is intended to be reusable.
According to SpaceX, the rocket suffered a “one fast unscheduled disassembly” as it climbed into space and lost contact with the ground. No injuries or damage were reported, but photos from the Caribbean Sea island nations show remains falling from the sky like fire.
This is the second back-to-back failure for the Starship mission, which aims to test the rocket’s capabilities before sending it to Mars. The incident occurred during a one-hour flight over the Indian Ocean, where the rocket was supposed to re-enter Earth orbit.
However, the Super Heavy booster that helped bring the rocket to ground managed successfully return to the launchpad. SpaceX has confirmed that teams are coordinating with safety officials for “pre-planned contingency responses”.
The company plans to review data to better understand the root cause of the misfire and has assured that the remains will fall within a pre-planned area, without any toxic materials.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) briefly delayed flights at several Florida airports due to concerns about the falling rocket remains. The incident is the latest in a series of challenges faced by SpaceX as it pursues its ambitious goal of colonizing Mars.
SpaceX Starship is key to Elon Musk’s vision for sending humans to Mars, which involves making long trips through space – approximately nine months each way. NASA has expressed interest in using a modified version of the spaceship for its Artemis missions to return to the Moon.
The incident highlights the ongoing challenges faced by SpaceX and the need for continued improvement in rocket technology. As Elon Musk said, “success comes from what we learn” from such incidents, which will help improve Starship reliability.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/pidgin/articles/cqjdyn95k90o