SpaceX conducted its latest test flight of the Starship rocket on Thursday, but the spacecraft was lost following an impressive catch of the booster back at the launch pad.
According to Elon Musk’s company, the spacecraft experienced a sequential shutdown of its six engines, leading to a loss of contact just 8 minutes and 30 seconds into the flight.
“We lost all communication with the ship, indicating we had an anomaly with the upper stage,” SpaceX communications manager Dan Huot said, later confirming that the spacecraft was indeed lost.
The spacecraft was intended to fly over the Gulf of Mexico from Texas in a nearly global loop similar to earlier test flights. SpaceX equipped it with 10 dummy satellites to practice their release. This was the inaugural flight of the updated spacecraft.
The incident caused significant disruptions to air traffic, with some flights halted at Miami International Airport. Numerous commercial flights were diverted to alternate airports or changed routes to avoid potential debris, as indicated by tracking records from FlightRadar24.
SpaceX utilised the launch tower’s massive mechanical arms a minute before catching the returning booster. The descending booster hovered above the launch pad before being seized by the arms known as “chopsticks.”
The exhilaration of the catch soon turned to disappointment for both the company and the spectators at the southern tip of Texas.
Musk shared a video on Twitter/X showcasing the debris field, remarking, “Success is uncertain, but entertainment is guaranteed!”
The last data from the spacecraft showed it reached an altitude of 146 kilometres and a speed of 21,317 km/h.
Musk indicated that initial findings suggest an “oxygen/fuel leak in the cavity above the ship engine firewall that generated pressure exceeding the vent capacity.” He added that there are no indications of delaying the next launch.
The towering 400-ft (123-meter) rocket launched late afternoon from Boca Chica near the Mexican border. This timing ensured a daylight entry halfway around the world into the Indian Ocean, but the sleek, retro-style spacecraft did not make it nearly that far.
Following November’s launch, which damaged sensors on the robotic arms, SpaceX reinforced the catch tower, which led to the decision to forgo a catch attempt for that booster guided into the Gulf instead.
The company also improved the spacecraft for this most recent demonstration. The test satellites were the exact dimensions as SpaceX’s Starlink internet satellites and were designed, like the spacecraft, to be destroyed upon reentry.
Musk’s plan involves launching actual Starlinks using Starships before progressing to other satellites and, ultimately, crewed missions.
This marked the seventh test flight of the world’s largest and most powerful rocket. NASA has reserved two spaceships for future moon landings with astronauts later this decade, while Musk’s ambition is to land on Mars.
