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Image source,Reuters
Although the starship crashed and exploded, Musk was satisfied with the results of the test flight.
The American company SpaceX launched the prototype Starship into the air, but it did not slow down when it landed and exploded and crashed after landing.
However, founder Elon Musk was pleased with the success of the flight test mission.
The prototype spacecraft, codenamed SN8, is 50 meters long and has no people on it. The original mission was to fly briefly at an altitude of 12,500 meters.
Before the starship launch, Musk poured cold water for everyone, warning that errors could occur in the test flight.
But Musk has high hopes for the SpaceX spacecraft and believes it will become the future of SpaceX after its successful development.
According to his vision, the successful development of the spacecraft will bring people and cargo into orbit in the future, and it can become a means of transport between Earth and the Moon, or even to Mars.
Image source,Spacex
Image of the starship before launch.
Musk praised all the staff, saying the test flight mission has achieved “all the data we need.”
He said on Twitter: “Mars, here we go!”
SpaceX has a spacecraft launch site in Boca Chica, Texas. The company is testing a number of spacecraft prototypes here. His concept is to test each prototype until it fails, or even explodes and crashes.
SN8 is the first prototype spacecraft to fly high-altitude suborbital flight. The test flight plan is to allow the prototype to operate in the air, simulating the horizontal state of the belly in the Earth’s atmosphere and then flipping to a vertical angle landing.
Most of the plans were carried out: at first, the boat ran smoothly and climbed steadily, and then began to descend in a horizontal state. But when it turned to a vertical angle, things started to go wrong.
The prototype was too fast approaching the landing point and exploded into a fireball after a heavy fall and landing.
Image source,Spacex
The Starship prototype is equipped with 3 Raptor rocket engines.
Musk explained on Twitter: “The fuel tank pressure was too low during the landing, causing the landing speed to be too high and the accident.”
But the starship test flight project will continue. In fact, Musk has other spacecraft prototypes ready to replace the SN8.
The spaceship will eventually be launched into space on a thruster called the Super Heavy. The two together will be 118 meters high, equipped with 28 Raptor rocket engines, which can generate 70 million newtons (meganewtons). ) Push.
By design, the starship and super-heavy thruster are reusable, so after completing each mission, they must return to earth again.
Image source,EPA
Musk has always been known for his ambition and excessive optimism.
Musk’s company SpaceX has used Falcon rockets for satellite companies, the United States Air Force and NASA to transport personnel and cargo. In June of this year, Musk said that Project Starship is his main goal in the next phase.
He believes that the concept of spacecraft can change the entire economics of space flight. Spacecraft can carry more than 100 tons of weight, which can include satellites, personnel, and materials to build bases on the Moon and Mars.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration has asked Musk to consider whether the starship can land on the moon’s surface in the next few years.
But Musk’s goal is broader, he has already stated that he will launch a manned spacecraft to Mars in the next 4-6 years.
Musk has always been known for his ambition and over-optimism, but it turns out that he can often achieve his goals.
