While the first test launch of the Starship Heavy rocket ended with its explosion a few minutes after launch, the company which developed the rocket SpaceX still considers the test a success, underlines The Philadelphia Inquirer. As the publication writes, the company noted that the data obtained during a brief flight will be used to prepare for the next test.
The Philadelphia Inquirer says the company considers the launch of the SpaceX-developed rocket Starship a success – even though the rocket exploded a few minutes after launch.
As the newspaper correspondent recalls, on Thursday, Starship, which representatives of SpaceX emphatically called the most powerful rocket in the history, was launched from the launch site in South Texas. Meanwhile, a few minutes after the launch sparks appeared and then the rocket exploded.
However, even SpaceX founder Elon Musk warned of the likelihood of such an outcome in advance, and last month he estimated the chances of a successful launch of the rocket at 50%, the journalist emphasizes. “I will not say that it will enter orbit – but I guarantee: the moment will be exciting. It will not be boring,” the author quotes Musk as saying.
Musk noted Thursday that a successful test flight of the rocket may require several attempts, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer. According to the newspaper, the flight will be considered successful if the rocket reaches the speed necessary to reach orbit, almost completely circling the globe, and then crashed in the Pacific Ocean near the Hawaiian Islands.
Still, SpaceX considered the fact that the rocket was able to break away from Earth a major success: As The Philadelphia Inquirer notes, employees cheered champagne as it took off. At the end of last week, Elon Musk noted on Twitter that the greatest fear at the time caused by the scenario of the rocket explosion directly at the launch pad with the subsequent destruction of the latter, because it would take several months to recreate it. Meanwhile, according to the American press, the pad was not damaged during the launch.
According to The Philadelphia Inquirer, SpaceX has already begun preparations for the next test launch of Starship, using data from the first flight, which lasted about four minutes. “In a test of this nature, the success is what we were able to learn,” company officials explained on its official Twitter page after the blastoff. – Today’s test launch will help us improve the reliability of Starship as part of SpaceX’s effort to extend life to other planets.”
As Elon Musk has previously stated, the ultimate goal of the Starship project is to deliver humans to Mars for the first time. In turn, NASA plans to activate one of the rocket’s modifications in the first manned mission to the moon in 50 years, writes The Philadelphia Inquirer.