Prototype rocket from Elon Musk goes up in flames - SpaceX launch in danger? "You have to be concerned"

Before the launch of the manned SpaceX rocket, a prototype went up in flames during a test. Is Elon Musk's space company mission under threat?

• On Saturday, Elon Musk's space company SpaceX plans to send the first manned missile to the ISS .
• The first attempt on Wednesday was canceled shortly before the start due to bad weather conditions in Cape Canaveral .
• The planned launch of the  "Falcon 9" rocket is at 3:22 p.m. local time (9:22 p.m. German time).

SpaceX: Elon Musk's rocket prototype explodes - launch questionable again

Update of May 30, 10:30 a.m .: Before the launch of the SpaceX manned rocket with space veterans Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley , a rocket prototype exploded during a test in the US state of Texas . Videos are circulating on the net, showing how a rocket goes up in flames. It is said to be the "Starship" heavy-duty rocket - a different model than the rocket that is due to launch from Cape Canaveral (Florida) on Saturday .

So far, there has been no statement from SpaceX founder Elon Musk or the company. According to the US media, there are said to be no injuries .

Elon, your rocket just blew up.pic.twitter.com/EZAVN4cVCd

It is still unclear whether the incident in Texas will have any consequences for the planned launch of the SpaceX "Falcon 9" rocket . However, the mission's weather may again thwart the calculation (see May 30 update, 10:15 a.m.).

Already last Wednesday, when the launch had to be postponed, Jan Wörner, Director General of the European Space Agency ESA, said on Deutschlandfunk : “Such a rocket launch is a controlled explosion. So you have to be worried. “There is always a risk.

SpaceX-Start: Will the rocket flight be postponed again?

Update of May 30, 10:15 a.m .: In just under eleven hours, the  "Falcon 9" rocket from the private company SpaceX , whose founder is multi-billionaire Elon Musk, is due to launch from the Cape Canaveral spaceport . It is the second attempt three days after the start postponed due to bad weather conditions . But the chances for a successful implementation are obviously not good on Saturday either.

As NASA announced in advance, the chance of a rocket launch * suitable weather conditions is 50 percent . According to this, however, a new attempt should already be possible on Sunday if the flight test cannot be carried out again.

SpaceX start in Cape Canaveral: fixed date for second attempt

Update of May 28, 11:15: Worldwide was the launch of the SpaceX mission of Elon Musk been eagerly awaited. However, bad weather has temporarily stopped the first manned flight test of a US space capsule in almost nine years. A little less than a quarter of an hour before the launch, the test was canceled on Wednesday, according to the US space agency Nasa . 

Many people had said that this was not possible, said Nasa boss Jim Bridenstine in an interview before the ultimately delayed start attempt, as reported focus.de. "But SpaceX can do things that NASA has never done in its history," continued Bridenstine, who described the mission as a "herculean task."

The new date has already been set. As Jim Bridenstine announced on the Twitter platform , they will try a second attempt on Saturday. US President Donald Trump thanked Nasa via Twitter and announced that he would be there again on Saturday. Trump and Vice President Mike Pence traveled to the state of Florida on Wednesday to watch the launch live on site.

Thank you to @NASA and @SpaceX for their hard work and leadership. Look forward to being back with you on Saturday!

Failure for Elon Musk: SpaceX premiere must be canceled shortly before launch

Update from May 27th, 10:43 pm:  When will the next attempt of the “Falcon 9” take place on the ISS? The start is now scheduled for Saturday , SpaceX said on Wednesday after the abrupt end of the flight scheduled for Wednesday. A thunderstorm raged above the Kennedy Space Center in the morning and the US hurricane center warned of a tropical storm . The hatch had already closed behind the two US astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken .

Elon Musk's SpaceX mission canceled: Even Donald Trump was there

Update from May 27th, 10:35 pm: The weather in Florida is too stormy and puts the “Demo-2” mission on hold for the time being. Why not just wait an hour before things get better? This is related to the coordinates of the ISS space station , which orbits around the earth and would be out of range of the "Falcon 9" rocket if the launch were delayed  .

Update from May 27th, 10:28 pm: Due to bad weather conditions , the manned space flight test has been postponed. About a quarter of an hour before the planned start , the test was initially canceled, according to NASA .  Dark clouds were visible over the Cape Canaveral spaceport and it was raining. According to the weather forecast, the chance of a start had previously been 60 percent , as Nasa had announced. A next attempt to start could take place on Saturday.

The astronauts of the "Falcon 9" have to be patient - the SpaceX launch has been postponed.

© AFP / -

SpaceX: Missile launch canceled - "Falcon 9" must remain on the ground

Update from May 27th, 10:24 pm: The rocket smokes and so far everything looks as if the rocket launch of the "Falcon 9" could go according to plan. Or not? The news reaches us that the time cannot be kept.

Update from May 27th, 11:11 pm:  "Fun Fact" on the edge - both space travelers - Doug Hurley and Robert Behnken - are married to their peers. Their respective partners are astronauts .

Update of May 27, 10:03 p.m .:  Before the first manned test start with a space capsule from his company SpaceX , the entrepreneur Elon Musk assured the families of the two astronauts that he had done everything possible to ensure their safety. When he met the families of Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley before the start, he felt the responsibility of a manned test even more, Musk said during a joint interview with Nasa boss Jim Bridenstine .

Hurley is married and has one son. Entrepreneur Musk, for whom a special compensation plan applies, only had a sixth son at the beginning of the month. So far Musk has only brought cargo to the International Space Station with SpaceX .

"Falcon 9" before the start: Donald Trump raves about "friend" Elon Musk

Update from May 27, 9:57 p.m .: Donald Trump * is now live on site and speaks with other responsible parties in a press conference. Respirator? Nothing. But there is a safety margin for the high-ranking personalities. The US President thanks his "friend Elon Musk" for the project and emphasizes the importance for the US space flight .

Update from May 27th, 9.40 pm: No more hours until the start in Cape Canaveral ! Shortly before the first planned space flight of two US astronauts to the ISS space station after an almost nine-year hiatus, US singer  Kelly Clarkson (38) contributed the mood to the US national anthem . The performance was recorded via video in the live stream of the launch. All Clarkson could see was her head in front of a wall. Concerns about the further spread of the coronavirus *  severely restrict access to the Cape Canaveral spaceport.

NASA astronauts Douglas Hurley (l) and Robert Behnken, in SpaceX spacesuits, stand in front of launch pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center, with the "Falcon 9" rocket (M).

© dpa / Kim Shiflett, Nasa

US President Donald Trump and Vice President  Mike Pence  have announced their participation. Shortly after the anthem, the two astronauts were brought to the launch pad and then strapped into their seats in the "Crew Dragon". All of the technicians who worked around the astronauts wore masks.

SpaceX rocket shortly before launch: weather conditions spoil the game for Elon Musk?

Update of May 27, 19:42: The  NASA continues despite the uncertain weather conditions of a rocket of the first manned flight private company SpaceX to the International Space Station ISS firmly. Jim Bridenstine, chief of the space agency, gave the green light for the historic mission on Wednesday afternoon (local time). However, should the weather * deteriorate further in the coming hours, the rocket launch could still be postponed to Saturday.

Check out this post on Instagram

Targeting 4:33 pm EDT today for Falcon 9's launch of Crew Dragon with @NASA astronauts on board. Teams are closely monitoring launch and downrange weather → spacex.com/launches

A post shared by SpaceX (@spacex) on May 27, 2020 at 5:53 p.m. PDT

The two space travelers Douglas Hurley and Robert Behnken should reach the launch pad shortly. The hatch to your space capsule should be closed about two hours before the planned start.

A thunderstorm raged over the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral in the morning and the US hurricane center warned of a tropical storm that was forming further north off the coast of the state of South Carolina . 

SpaceX: Elon Musk's “Demo-2” mission is heading towards the ISS

Original article from May 27:

Wednesday night marks a major milestone for US space travel - and could have an impact on the future of human history. At 10.33 p.m. (Central European Time) the launch of the first manned rocket from SpaceX - the company of the difficult businessman Elon Musk * .

As the first private project, SpaceX is scheduled to transport astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) on Wednesday. The "Crew Dragon" space capsule contains two "old hands" from American space travel:  Douglas Hurley (53) and Robert Behnken (49) . The sensational mission is called " Demo-2 ".

SpaceX by Elon Musk: First manned flight into space

For one thing, a successful mission for multi-billionaire Musk would be a milestone on the path to realizing his dream of eventually transporting people to Mars. Apart from that, the space adventure also marks the USA's first trip to the ISS in almost ten years: the program was discontinued due to high costs and two fatal accidents. Since the end of the space shuttle era in 2011, NASA astronauts have had to  book their places in Soyuz rockets from Russia. 

Although NASA has advised against the project, numerous onlookers have already traveled to Cape Canaveral (Florida), the space mecca , to watch the spectacle live when the " Falcon 9 " rocket takes off towards the ISS. 

To prevent corona infections, NASA asked space fans to track the historic launch of the Falcon 9 rocket with the manned Dragon capsule on the Internet. By contrast, US President Donald Trump wants to follow him personally from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral .

The start of the mission will take place in a memorable place: the first humans set out on the moon from ramp 39A. 19 hours later, the space capsule of the SpaceX "Falcon 2" is said to dock at the International Space Station.

"Falcon 9": SpaceX rocket from Elon Musk the preliminary stage for a mega-project

SpaceX has been putting satellites into orbit for some time now: The Falcon 9 rocket has been taking supply flights to the ISS since 2012  - but without people. The manned flight into space * on Wednesday evening (local time 4:33 p.m.) is a novelty. But: According to NASA, there is a 40 percent chance that the start will have to be postponed due to bad weather. The next time window would be on Saturday.

In addition to the Elon Musk company , the US aviation giant and Airbus competitor Boeing has also been commissioned to build space shuttles. The Tesla boss is intervening in Earth's orbit with another gigantic project. Astronomers warn of the consequences. Musk's long-term plan is to build the " Big Falcon Rocket " - one day he wants to use it to create a human colony on Mars.

PF

* Merkur.de is part of the nationwide Ippen-Digital editors network.

Rubric list image: © dpa / John Raoux