There was a strong feeling of déjà vu about SpaceX's second Starship prototype rocket test on Tuesday, February 2. Why? Because, just like the previous high-altitude test flight, it crashed and burned upon landing.
Powered by its three Raptor engines, the "SN9" prototype of SpaceX's next-generation rocket roared off the launchpad in Boca Chica, Texas, at 12:25 p.m. PT, reaching its 32,800-feet target altitude at just past the four-minute mark.
On its descent, the 160-foot-tall booster again performed the all-important flip maneuver in preparation for an upright landing, but, like in its first high-altitude test flight in December 2020, the rocket came down too hard, and at a slight angle, causing it to explode in a spectacular fireball.
"We had, again, another great flight up," SpaceX engineer John Insprucker said on the company's livestream of the test flight, adding, "We've just got to work on that landing a little bit."
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.