Xinhua
19 Nov 2023, 08:35 GMT+10
LOS ANGELES, Nov. 18 (Xinhua) -- SpaceX's giant new rocket Starship on Saturday blasted off on its second test flight, but exploded minutes after launch.
Starship successfully lifted off under the power of all 33 Raptor engines on the Super Heavy Booster at about 7:04 a.m. Central Time (1304 GMT) from SpaceX's Starbase in U.S. state of Texas, and made it through a successful stage separation, said SpaceX.
However, the booster experienced a "rapid unscheduled disassembly" after stage separation and boostback burn while Starship's engines fired for several minutes on its way to space, according to SpaceX.
It was the second integrated flight testing with the second launch of Starship.
"With a test like this, success comes from what we learn, and today's test will help us improve Starship's reliability as SpaceX seeks to make life multiplanetary," SpaceX said.
The company said it will share more information as the team reviews data from Saturday's test.
SpaceX made the first test flight of SpaceX's fully integrated Starship and Super Heavy rocket in April this year, but the vehicle exploded after liftoff from the launch pad in SpaceX's Starbase in Boca Chica, South Texas.
SpaceX's Starship spacecraft and Super Heavy rocket, collectively referred to as Starship, represent a fully reusable transportation system designed to carry both crew and cargo to Earth orbit, the Moon, Mars and beyond.
Starship will be the world's most powerful launch vehicle ever developed, capable of carrying up to 150 metric tonnes fully reusable and 250 metric tonnes expendable, according to SpaceX.
NASA awarded SpaceX contracts worth several billions of U.S. dollars to use Starship to ferry American astronauts to the surface of the moon under the space agency's Artemis program.
NASA has announced plans to use a Starship to put astronauts on the lunar surface in 2025.
Get a daily dose of Broadcast Communications news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Broadcast Communications.
More InformationNEW YORK, New York - U.S. stock markets closed firmly in positive territory to start the week Monday, with the S&P 500 and Dow Jones...
WASHINGTON, D.C.: On Friday, President Donald Trump announced that he was halting trade discussions with Canada due to its decision...
LONDON, U.K.: A little-known investment fund based in the United Arab Emirates has emerged as the most prominent public backer of U.S....
SAN FRANCISCO, California: Across the U.S., a growing number of people are taking obesity treatment into their own hands — literally....
SAN FRANCISCO, California: Under pressure from European regulators, Apple has revamped its App Store policies in the EU, introducing...
NEW YORK CITY, New York: The U.S. dollar tumbled this week, hitting its lowest levels since 2021 against the euro, British pound, and...
SHARJAH, 7th May, 2025 (WAM) -- The Sharjah Broadcasting Authority (SBA) recently took part in the 76th World News Media Congress,...
Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], June 30 (ANI): Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Monday participated in the Space Technology...
BEIJING, June 30 (Xinhua) -- The purchasing managers' index (PMI) for China's non-manufacturing sector came in at 50.5 in June, up...
By Aashique Hussain New Delhi [India], June 28 (ANI): In a new initiative aimed at strengthening grassroots communication and coordination,...
New Delhi [India], June 25 (ANI): As the country marked the 50th anniversary of the Emergency imposed by then Prime Minister Indira...
Noida (Uttar Pradesh) [India], June 25 (ANI): Senior journalist Rajat Sharma, who was jailed for 10 months during the Emergency, recalled...