AP News reports, “A commercial rocket trying to put a satellite into orbit was intentionally exploded shortly after liftoff Wednesday morning in central Japan following a problem that’s still under investigation.” Space One was attempting to become “Japan’s first private sector success at putting a satellite into orbit.”
Full Story (AP News)
Japanese rocket explodes moments after launch
(7News Australia; YouTube)
Bloomberg reports that before SpaceX “can try again to send its massive Starship rocket into orbit, the company needs to repair and renovate its badly damaged launch site in southern Texas.” It is unknown if the design choices will be enough to prevent future damage to the launch site after the April 20 liftoff damaged the launchpad’s structure and sent “chunks of sand, concrete and steel thousands of feet into the sky and setting fire to a nearby park.”
Full Story (Bloomberg – subscription publication)
CNBC reports that as SpaceX faces a standard practice FAA grounding of its “Starship Super Heavy launch program pending results of a ‘mishap investigation’” over the explosion of its vehicle last week, researchers also “are scrambling to assess the impact of the explosion on local communities, their health, habitat and wildlife including endangered species.” The primary issue “is the large amount of sand- and ash-like particulate matter and heavier debris kicked up by the launch. The particulate emissions spread far beyond the expected debris field,” which SpaceX “did not accurately predict.”
Full Story (CNBC)