SpaceX again loses its Starship rocket on test flight after explosion during previous attempt
After SpaceX’s Starship rocket exploded during a test flight in January, the company had hoped its nect launch attempt would go better. But again, controllers lost contact with the upper-stage vehicle.
After SpaceX’s Starship megarocket exploded during a test flight in January, the company had hoped for a better outcome when it attempted a launch on Thursday.
But once more, the mission was cut short after controllers lost contact with the upper-stage vehicle.
The 400-foot-tall Starship system rocketed off the launch pad at SpaceX’s Starbase site near Brownsville, Texas, at 6:30 p.m. ET for its eighth test flight.
But a little over 8 minutes in — roughly the same timing as the mishap in January — several engines appeared to cut off as the upper-stage Starship vehicle was still accelerating into space. Live video showed the craft spinning before all communication was lost.
"Prior to the end of the ascent burn, an energetic event in the aft portion of Starship resulted in the loss of several Raptor engines," SpaceX said in a statement. "This in turn led to a loss of attitude control and ultimately a loss of communications with Starship."
Rating: 5