In an event that captivated space enthusiasts worldwide, SpaceX’s latest Starship vehicle, hailed as the most powerful rocket ever manufactured, encountered an unexpected conclusion in its test flight early this morning. The day began with an air of excitement and anticipation as crowds gathered at Boca Chica, Texas, with the closure of Boca Chica Blvd. at midnight.
Pre-Launch Activities and Spectator Influx
As dawn approached, SpaceX began the propellant load on its Starship vehicle amidst dense fog rolling in from the Gulf of Mexico. NASA’s WB-57, famed for its imaging capabilities in space missions, took off from Houston towards Starbase, indicating the gravity of the event. Simultaneously, SpaceX’s fleet was observed establishing a maritime safety perimeter.
Countdown and Launch Proceedings
The countdown proceeded smoothly, with SpaceX resolving minor issues, including the clearing of a few boats from the exclusion zone. Finally, with the fog dissipating and the sun rising, the moment arrived.
The launch, streamed live with SpaceX employees and spectators joining in, commenced with a massive fireball, signaling the ignition. The Starship, in its second attempt at a complete vehicle launch, successfully pierced through the remaining fog, lifting off at 0702 CST.
A Series of Unfortunate Events
The rocket achieved the critical phase of Max Q and managed a successful stage separation. However, following this, the booster unexpectedly exploded, and about ten minutes into the flight, SpaceX lost contact with the upper stage, leading to a Rapid Unplanned Disassembly (RUD).
This launch attempt marked SpaceX’s first venture into ‘hot staging,’ a process where the booster engines remain ignited at a lower power during the separation of the Starship engines. Despite the apparent setbacks, this launch demonstrated significant advancements compared to previous attempts.
Analyzing the Aftermath
Although both vehicles failed post-stage separation, failing to return to Earth as planned, this test flight provided crucial data. The Starship reached approximately 93 miles in altitude, a notable improvement from the April launch, which saw issues in engine ignition and separation.
Compared to the first launch in April, the pad looks no worse for wear. The water deluge system shot approximately 360,000 gallons of water to protect the rocket and pad. And it appears to have done the task, amidst Elon Musk wanting nothing to do with the concept when SpaceX began developing the Texas launch site. That view changed quickly following the destruction from IFT-1 months ago.
Regulatory and Future Outlook
SpaceX has already applied and been approved for an FCC license to track a third vehicle as soon as December. However, SpaceX must wait until the FAA completes their investigation following the incident and complete any required remediations. The agency stated earlier today that there were no injuries or property damage reported at this time.
SpaceX’s Path Forward
The data acquired from today’s RUD is priceless to SpaceX’s development of the Starship program. SpaceX will analyze everything they have gotten thus far and make further changes to the development of the next vehicle.
