{"id":14604,"date":"2023-04-20T14:26:52","date_gmt":"2023-04-20T14:26:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2023\/04\/20\/spacexs-starship-successfully-takes-off-before-bursting-into-flames\/"},"modified":"2023-04-20T14:26:52","modified_gmt":"2023-04-20T14:26:52","slug":"spacexs-starship-successfully-takes-off-before-bursting-into-flames","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2023\/04\/20\/spacexs-starship-successfully-takes-off-before-bursting-into-flames\/","title":{"rendered":"SpaceX\u2019s Starship successfully takes off before bursting into flames"},"content":{"rendered":"


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SpaceX\u2019s integrated Starship spacecraft successfully took off from its launchpad in Boca Chica, Texas, on Thursday but didn\u2019t manage to fully complete its test flight. The spacecraft spun out of control before bursting into a ball of flames about four minutes into its flight, cutting the test short.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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In a statement on Twitter<\/a>, SpaceX said, \u201cStarship experienced a rapid unscheduled disassembly before\u00a0stage separation.\u201d During today\u2019s 90-minute test flight, Starship was supposed to reach an altitude of about 150 miles during a journey around the globe before splashing down into the Pacific Ocean near Hawaii. SpaceX scrubbed its first test flight attempt on April 17th due to a \u201cfrozen\u201d pressurant valve<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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After the launch, Elon Musk tweeted<\/a> that SpaceX\u2019s next Starship test flight will occur \u201cin a few months.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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GIF: Tristan Cooper \/ The Verge<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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The 394-foot launch system, which is comprised of the Super Heavy booster and Starship spacecraft, is known collectively as Starship. SpaceX\u2019s Super Heavy booster comes equipped with 33 powerful Falcon Raptor engines and is designed to be reusable. However, SpaceX wasn\u2019t going to take advantage of this feature this time around, as the booster was supposed to drop into the Gulf of Mexico shortly after launch instead of attempting to land upright.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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According to SpaceX, the goal of today\u2019s test was to \u201cinform and improve the probability of success in the future as SpaceX rapidly advances development of Starship,\u201d even if things don\u2019t go as planned during the flight. SpaceX\u2019s launch system will eventually help ferry both astronauts and cargo to the Moon, Mars, and beyond. It\u2019s the same system that NASA will use to bring astronauts back to the Moon during the Artemis III mission in 2025.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Update April 20th, 9:48AM ET: <\/strong>Updated to note that the flight was cut short.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Update April 20th, 10:25AM ET: <\/strong>Added comment from Elon Musk.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n