TEXAS (AFP): A SpaceX rocket prototype, known as SN10, exploded as it landed on the ground after a seemingly successful flight, marking a failed third attempt following two fiery crashes.
The SpaceX rocket prototype soared over South Texas during test flight before swooping down to a pinpoint landing near its launch site. Approximately three minutes after landing, the rocket exploded on its landing pad.
SpaceX’s flub, involving a prototype of the Starship rocket, became yet another hurdle in reaching Mars, which the aerospace manufacturer and space transportation company aims to accomplish one day.
“We’ve had a successful soft touch down on the landing pad,” SpaceX engineer John Insprucker said during a livestream of the event. “That’s capping a beautiful test flight of Starship 10,” he added.
The rocket exploded a few minutes later, lurching into the air and crashing back to the ground. It was unclear what caused the rocket to explode after landing, and the SpaceX livestream cut out before the conflagration.
He added that SpaceX has several other prototypes already in production and the next, SN11, will be ready to roll out for another test flight ‘in the near future. “As if the flight test was not exciting enough, SN10 experienced a rapid unscheduled disassembly shortly after landing,” SpaceX joked on its website.
Musk has been developing the next-generation Starship rocket for the purpose of going to Mars — though two prototypes (SN8 and SN9) blew up in spectacular fashion on their test runs in December and early February.
The tests take place in a nearly deserted area leased by SpaceX in South Texas near the border with Mexico and the Gulf of Mexico — the area is vast and empty enough that an accident or explosion would not likely cause damage or fatalities.
