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: SN10
Musk Explains Why SN10 Exploded; SpaceX Rolls Out SN11
CNET News reports that on March 3, SpaceX “appeared to make a soft landing of” its Starship SN10 prototype, but several minutes after the landing, the rocket “exploded on the landing pad.” SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said Tuesday that the landing was not as soft as it appeared, and that the prototype’s legs and part of the skirt were crushed during the landing. Musk also explained why the SN10 exploded after landing; he said in a tweet, “SN10 engine was low on thrust due (probably) to partial helium ingestion from fuel header tank. Impact of 10m/s crushed legs & part of skirt. Multiple fixes in work for SN11.”
Full Story (CNET News)
SpaceX Could Try Test Launch of Starship SN11 Prototype Friday
SPACE reports that SpaceX “may attempt to test fire – then launch – its latest Starship rocket prototype at the company’s South Texas facility on Friday.” Cameron County, Texas, officials “have approved road closures ahead of an engine test and launch of the Starship SN11 vehicle on Friday.” SpaceX “has not stated it actually will attempt an SN11 launch, but its test window opens at 8 a.m. EDT (7 a.m. local time, 1200 GMT) and runs for over 12 hours, according to Cameron County officials.” For the test, the prototype “is expected to launch to an altitude of 6.2 miles (10 kilometers), then flip over for a descent back to Earth and flip over once more for a controlled landing using its engines.”
Full Story (SPACE)
SpaceX Starship SN9 Could Complete Static Fire Test This Week
NASA Space Flight reports that SpaceX’s Starship SN9 prototype “is set to complete an accelerated pad flow with a Static Fire test and launch this coming week. A triple Raptor Static Fire test is tracking early this week.” Additionally, the Starship SN10 “is now an integrated stack inside the High Bay, ready to roll to the launch site as soon as SN9 departs.” The SN11 and SN12 “are undergoing their own buildup operations inside the Mid Bay, with the former only lacking a nosecone.”
Full Story (NASA Space Flight)