SpaceX’s latest Starship test flight ended in flames Thursday as the experimental rocket broke apart mid-air—dubbed a \"rapid unscheduled disassembly\" by the company. The fiery finale came just 8.5 minutes after liftoff from Boca Chica, Texas, marking a mix of triumph and setbacks for Elon Musk’s Mars-bound ambitions.
The Booster Catch That (Almost) Stole the Show 🌟
In a scene straight out of sci-fi, SpaceX’s launch tower \"chopsticks\" successfully caught the descending booster mid-air—a feat achieved only once before. Crowds cheered as the 400-foot rocket hovered over the pad… until the spacecraft’s engines shut down one by one. \"We’re obviously bummed about ship,\" said SpaceX’s Dan Huot, highlighting the experimental nature of the test.
What Went Wrong? 🔍
Elon Musk later tweeted that leaking fuel might’ve caused pressure buildup near the engines. The spacecraft reached 90 miles up and speeds over 13,000 mph before losing contact. Despite packing 10 dummy Starlink satellites for deployment practice, Starship never made its planned loop around the world.
Mars Dreams & Moon Plans 🌕
This seventh test flight brings SpaceX closer to refining its design, with NASA already reserving Starships for future moon landings. Though fiery endings might look dramatic, Musk reminded fans: \"Flight tests teach us what textbooks can’t.\" Upgrades? More fire suppression and leak checks. Next stop? Actual Starlink launches—and maybe one day, humans on Mars.
