CBS News reports that an unpiloted SpaceX prototype launched from Texas on Wednesday and climbed to an altitude of six miles before tipping “over on its side as planned” and plunging “back to Earth in a high-altitude swan dive, flipping back vertical and then successfully landing near the launch pad.” The launch marked the company’s “third high-altitude Starship test flight and its first successful landing.” However, approximately eight minutes after the prototype – SN10 – touched down, it “blew up, showering the pad with flaming debris.” Despite the mishap, “the successful landing marked a major milestone for SpaceX founder Elon Musk in his drive to develop a fully reusable heavy lift rocket, even as it showed the risks that come with an aggressive test program.”
Full Story (CBS News)
Tag: Explodes
SpaceX Falcon 9 Booster Explodes on Droneship, Ending String of 267 Successful Landings
Spaceflight Now reports, “Update 5:20 a.m. EDT: SpaceX is scrubbing the Starlink 9-5 launch from Vandenberg Space Force Base to allow more time to review the data from the B1062 landing failure. For the first time in more than three years, SpaceX lost one of its reusable Falcon 9 boosters during a landing attempt amid the Starlink 8-6 mission on Wednesday morning. As it was touching down on the droneship, ‘A Shortfall of Gravitas,’ a green flash could be seen around the Merlin engines before the engine section was engulfed in flames and the booster toppled over and exploded.”
Full Story (Spaceflight Now)
Video
SpaceX Falcon 9 Booster Explodes on Droneship (1:16:36 mark)
(Spaceflight Now; YouTube)
Firefly Alpha Liftoff Failure Caused by Premature Engine Shutdown
Space News reported that Firefly Aerospace announced Sunday its Alpha rocket failed “when one of its first-stage engines shut down seconds after liftoff.”
Full Story (Space News)
Firefly Alpha Explodes Shortly After Liftoff
Space News reports that Firefly Aerospace’s Alpha rocket exploded two and a half minutes after its first launch Thursday. Firefly tweeted, “Alpha experienced an anomaly during first stage ascent that resulted in the loss of the vehicle.” Alpha was expected to reach supersonic speed 67 seconds after liftoff, but the rocket did not reach Mach One until 2:20 after liftoff. Alpha exploded 10 seconds after breaking the sound barrier.
Full Story (SpaceNews)