At first it landed safely on the ground, then the prototype of the new "Starship" rocket exploded.
The spectacle was broadcast live on the network.
Boca Chica - After two setbacks, a prototype of the new "Starship" rocket landed safely for the first time on a test flight by the private space company SpaceX - and only then exploded.
During the test on Wednesday in the US state of Texas, the unmanned rocket landed safely on the ground shortly after takeoff.
A few minutes later it went up in flames.
The company broadcast the spectacle live on the network.
SpaceX rocket: Prototype first lands safely on the ground - then explosion
The reason for the rocket's explosion was initially unclear.
"The main goal of today's test flight was to collect enough data on how to control the spaceship upon reentry (into the earth's atmosphere)," said SpaceX engineer John Insprucker.
“And we achieved that successfully.” A few hours earlier, a first attempt had been aborted a fraction of a second before the planned start, but the engineers decided to try again shortly afterwards.
Two previous tests, in December and February, had already been unsuccessful.
Neither of them had landed.
In December, a prototype exploded on landing due to a problem with the fuel system; in February, a prototype fell to the ground apparently unchecked due to a technical defect and was caught in a fireball.
With the test flights, SpaceX wants to test individual parts of the rocket.
SpaceX prototype explodes: rocket is said to one day shoot cargo and people to the moon
According to the plans of SpaceX founder Elon Musk, the “Starship” rocket will one day transport cargo and people to the moon and Mars.
The special feature: It should be completely reusable.
To achieve this, she has to
perform a turning maneuver
in the air
and then land back on the ground in a controlled
manner
.
The rocket should also be used where there are neither launch ramps nor ideal landing sites - for example on Mars.
