Illustration of SpaceX's Starship Soars Again: What Went Wrong This Time?

SpaceX’s Starship Soars Again: What Went Wrong This Time?

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BREMEN, Germany — On November 19, SpaceX executed its sixth test flight of the Starship vehicle, although a planned landing of the Super Heavy booster at the launch site was ultimately aborted.

The Starship/Super Heavy vehicle ascended at 5 p.m. Eastern from SpaceX’s Starbase test facility in Boca Chica, Texas. The launch occurred seamlessly at the start of a 30-minute window, with no issues noted during the countdown. Among the attendees at the launch was President-elect Donald Trump, who has fostered a close relationship with SpaceX CEO Elon Musk since the recent election.

Approximately two minutes and 45 seconds into the flight, the Super Heavy booster, designated Booster 13, successfully separated from the upper stage of the Starship. While the booster initiated its return, controllers later announced a “booster offshore divert,” indicating that it would not land back on the launch pad. The reason for this diversion was not disclosed, but the booster executed a powered landing in the Gulf of Mexico, just offshore from the launch site, where it toppled and exploded shortly thereafter. This incident is a minor setback for SpaceX, especially following their previous success of catching the booster on the launch tower during the October 13 flight.

Despite the setback with the booster, it successfully propelled the Starship upper stage, referred to as Ship 31, onto a suborbital trajectory. During its period in space, SpaceX conducted a brief re-ignition of one of the Raptor engines, a necessary test for future deorbit burns.

Starship then returned through the atmosphere over the Indian Ocean. Ahead of the flight, SpaceX indicated that they were altering the reentry profile to intentionally push the limits of the vehicle, while utilizing an older version of the thermal protection system compared to the last flight. Kate Tice, one of the SpaceX webcast hosts, cautioned viewers that the flight might not be smooth, as they were eager to test the vehicle’s boundaries.

Ultimately, Starship re-entered the atmosphere successfully, albeit with visible damage to a flap and sections of its thermal protection system. Approximately 65 and a half minutes after liftoff, it performed a powered soft landing in the ocean, ultimately tipping over and resting on the surface. The afternoon launch allowed for splashdown to occur during daylight hours, providing improved visibility for video coverage.

Looking ahead, SpaceX announced that they would implement upgrades for the next Starship upper stage, which includes enlarging propellant tanks to enhance payload capacity from 1,200 to 1,500 tons. Modifications to the forward flaps used during reentry are also planned to enhance protection against thermal stress. Specific launch dates for future missions have yet to be announced.

Thanks to a previously granted launch license from the Federal Aviation Administration, SpaceX was able to complete this flight shortly after the last one without additional modifications. The FAA determined that the limited changes made for Flight 6 fell within the previously analyzed parameters of the license issued for Flight 5.

In summary, while the aborted landing of the booster at the launch site represents a minor hurdle for SpaceX, the successful flight of Starship reaffirms the company’s commitment to innovating and mastering the challenges of space travel. The dedication to pushing the limits during testing not only enhances their technology but also paves the way for future missions, ultimately moving us closer to further explorations beyond our planet.

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