SpaceX Attempts Third Launch of Starship After Previous Explosions

Texas, May 28 (AP) SpaceX made another attempt to launch its mega rocket, Starship, on Tuesday evening after two consecutive explosions in previous tests. The hope for this ninth demonstration from its Starbase launch site in southern Texas was to successfully complete the test flight and deploy a series of mock satellites.

The towering 123-meter rocket lifted off with the goal of splashing down in the Indian Ocean, halfway across the globe, after releasing eight objects designed to simulate SpaceX's Starlink internet satellites. This marked the first occasion that one of CEO Elon Musk's Starships, intended for lunar and Martian travel, flew with a recycled booster targeting the Gulf of Mexico.

Unlike earlier tests, there were no plans to catch the booster with giant chopsticks at the launch pad. The two previous Starship tests ended in failure over the Caribbean, disintegrating mere minutes after takeoff and scattering debris into the ocean. Fortunately, no injuries or severe damage were reported, though disruptions to air travel did occur.

The Federal Aviation Administration granted clearance for another Starship flight just last week, expanding the hazard area and scheduling the launch outside peak air travel times. In addition to making necessary corrections and upgrades, SpaceX modified the spacecraft's thermal tiles and added special catch fittings.

Though this iteration was intended to sink in the Indian Ocean, the test aimed to evaluate these features for future recovery attempts at the launch pad, similar to how boosters are retrieved. NASA is counting on SpaceX to make significant advancements with Starship over the coming year, as it represents the largest and most powerful rocket ever constructed, crucial for landing astronauts on the moon.

In the moon mission planned for next year, four astronauts will fly around the Moon, but a landing is only expected in 2027 at the earliest. That mission will require a Starship to transport two astronauts from lunar orbit to the Moon's surface and back. (AP) ARI

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