SpaceX launches most powerful rocket in the world to success… and then failure
- SpaceX is testing Starship, which is eventually going to replace the company’s current flagship rocket Falcon 9
- Starship is twice as powerful as the rocket used for the Apollo mission
- NASA is counting on SpaceX to revamp its human spaceflight program
Published on Nov 20, 2023 at 1:15 PM (UTC+4)
by Alessandro Renesis
Last updated on Nov 28, 2023 at 2:49 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Adam Gray
SpaceX has just launched its Starship aircraft, the most powerful rocket in the world.
The launch went well.
Up until the point it all went wrong.
Check out the launch video!
READ MORE: Tesla Cybertruck spotted towing a gargantuan SpaceX rocket engine
After months of testing, SpaceX finally launched the rocket.
It took off from the Starbase launch site in Texas on a 90-minute mission to orbit and back.
It reached 90 miles (148 kilometers) above ground, and that’s when things went awry.
First, the rocket’s Super Heavy first-stage booster exploded.
It was flying over the Gulf of Mexico when it happened.
And then the Starship sort of… disappeared.
Watch Starship’s second integrated flight test https://t.co/cahoRQ72lm
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) November 17, 2023
SpaceX took it in good spirit, and still called the launch a success.
Elon Musk’s space company shared a press statement to X.
“With a test like this, success comes from what we learn, and today’s test will help us improve Starship’s reliability as SpaceX seeks to make life multiplanetary,” the statement reads.
With a test like this, success comes from what we learn, and today’s test will help us improve Starship’s reliability as SpaceX seeks to make life multiplanetary
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) November 18, 2023
Musk is testing the new Starship because he wants it to replace the company’s flagship rocket, Falcon 9.
So far, SpaceX has used Falcon 9 to launch satellites and commercial payloads into space.
And Musk needs the Starship program to be successful, because he’s under a lot of pressure from NASA.
The US Space Agency is counting on SpaceX to revamp its human spaceflight program, Artemis.
Artemis is supposed to be the spiritual successor to the Apollo missions, so yeah – no pressure, right?
SpaceX rockets are certainly powerful enough.
Starship’s first-stage booster is powered by 33 Raptor engines, and it produces thrust that’s twice as powerful as that of the Saturn V rocket from the Apollo program.
Alessandro is an automotive journalist with 10 years of experience covering supercars, automotive history, emerging vehicle technology, and luxury transportation. He wrote the first article published on SupercarBlondie.com when the website launched in 2022 and has since built a reputation for insightful reporting across the automotive and transportation industries. His expertise is grounded in hands-on experience. Alessandro has driven every Tesla model ever produced, from the original Roadster to the Cybertruck, and regularly covers the latest developments in electric vehicles and automotive innovation. His passion for transportation extends beyond cars, he has even flown a Boeing 787 Dreamliner simulator in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. His reporting spans everything from classic American muscle cars and rare automotive discoveries to luxury yachts, private aircraft, high-end watches, and cutting-edge vehicle technology. Known for his deep knowledge of automotive history and ability to uncover the stories behind iconic vehicles, Alessandro brings readers a blend of historical context, technical expertise, and first-hand experience.
