SpaceX successfully caught the returning booster of its Starship rocket during its latest test flight, but the spacecraft itself was destroyed shortly after launch. The six engines appeared to shut down one by one, with contact lost 8.5 minutes into the flight. SpaceX is analyzing data to determine the cause of the failure.
SpaceX launched its Starship rocket on its latest test flight Thursday, but the spacecraft was destroyed following a thrilling booster catch back at the pad.
A minute earlier, SpaceX used the launch tower's giant mechanical arms to catch the returning booster. The descending booster hovered over the launch pad before being gripped by the pair of arms dubbed chopsticks. The last data received from the spacecraft indicated an altitude of 90 miles and a velocity of 13,245 mph .
The company also upgraded the spacecraft for the latest demo. The test satellites were the same size as SpaceX’s Starlink internet satellites and, like the spacecraft, were meant to be destroyed upon entry.
SPACEX STARSHIP ROCKET LAUNCH BOOSTER CATCH SPACE EXPLORATION
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