2023-11-18 13:18:49
The largest rocket system ever built in space history has set off on a second test flight. The unmanned “Starship” took off on Saturday from the spaceport of Elon Musk’s private space company SpaceX in the US state of Texas, as live images showed. A few minutes after launch, the two rocket stages separated. The lower rocket stage exploded shortly afterwards and did not land in the Gulf of Mexico as planned. The upper rocket stage continued to fly – if everything goes as planned, it should continue to climb, although not all the way into space, and land in the Pacific after around an hour and a half. During the first test, the entire rocket system exploded after just a few minutes.
The second test launch with a “Starship” was originally scheduled for Friday, but was then postponed to Saturday. Elon Musk, head of the private space company SpaceX, said that a drive unit on a control surface had to be replaced beforehand.
In mid-April, a “Starship” set off for an unmanned test launch for the first time – and four minutes later exploded and shattered. Billionaire Musk, whose company SpaceX developed and built the “Starship” rocket system, did not see this as a setback, but as an “exciting test launch.” Musk had always emphasized that the next test launch with another “Starship” should follow as soon as possible.
The US aviation authority FAA had investigated the incident and called for numerous improvement measures as a condition for such a next test start. SpaceX announced that it had implemented numerous improvements and changes. The FAA now gave the green light.
The “Starship” – consisting of the approximately 70 meter long “Super Heavy” booster and the approximately 50 meter long upper stage, also called “Starship” – is intended to enable manned missions to the Moon and Mars. The system is designed so that the spacecraft and rocket can be reused after returning to Earth. The system, which is around 120 meters long in total, will be able to transport well over 100 tons of cargo in the future. NASA wants to take astronauts to the moon with the “Starship”. SpaceX hopes to one day get to Mars.
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