SpaceX's Starship, designed for moon missions, faced another setback in its second test, minutes after liftoff.
Starship Launch Failure:
The Super Heavy first stage booster, successful in separating from the core Starship, exploded over the Gulf of Mexico post-detachment.
Explosion Over Gulf of Mexico:
SpaceX's mission control lost contact with the Starship as it progressed further toward space, raising concerns about the fate of the vehicle.
Loss of Contact:
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration confirmed the incident, resulting in the loss of the vehicle, with no reported injuries or property damage.
FAA Confirmation:
The FAA will oversee SpaceX's investigation into the failure and must approve the company's plan to prevent such incidents in the future.
Investigation and Approval:
The mission aimed to lift the Starship into space, perform a controlled descent through Earth's atmosphere, and splash down off Hawaii's coast.
Launch Objective:
This launch was SpaceX's second attempt after the April failure, emphasizing the challenges in developing the massive rocket system.
Second Attempt:
Despite setbacks, SpaceX, led by Elon Musk, sees Starship as a key player in future lunar and Mars missions, as well as a replacement for the Falcon 9 rocket.