WATCH: SpaceX launch video shows rocket explosion
SpaceX performed a test of its latest rocket to the delight of employees who watched the live stream launch. The rocket was created for missions to the moon and Mars and ascended for about four minutes.
However, as observed in the SpaceX launch video, it appears that the separation of the spacecraft from the booster malfunctioned, and a few of the booster's 33 engines did not ignite, leading the rocket to spiral downward before exploding. Although the reason for the failure is not yet determined, the company deemed the launch a success.
The tallest and most powerful rocket ever built launching. The liftoff of SpaceX Starship pic.twitter.com/meav59yVmn
— Massimo (@Rainmaker1973) April 20, 2023
As if the flight test was not exciting enough, Starship experienced a rapid unscheduled disassembly before stage separation," SpaceX tweeted shortly after the test. "Teams will continue to review data and work toward our next flight test."
Nasa's Artemis program, which aims to land humans on the moon by 2025, will depend on the success of SpaceX's Starship spacecraft — the most powerful rocket ever built.
In a test flight on Thursday, Starship was launched without a crew for a 90-minute flight, with the intention of making it a reusable vehicle capable of transporting huge cargo loads into space, the SpaceX launch video showed.
Although SpaceX described the test as an early stage, CEO Elon Musk congratulated the team and stated that they learned a lot for their next test launch in a few months.
Thursday's test flight was a significant milestone for SpaceX's mission to create a reusable spacecraft that will enable exploration beyond current capabilities.
Although the spacecraft is designed to be recoverable, this test involved having the rocket and spacecraft fall into the ocean for data collection on system performance, which is crucial for future development.