03/30/2021 11:31 AM
Clarín.com
Technology
Updated 03/30/2021 11:31 AM
The fourth test flight of
SpaceX's
Starship
rocket
failed Tuesday and the prototype crashed, company founder Elon Musk confirmed on Twitter.
"Something important happened" upon landing, the mogul wrote.
"We should know what it was as soon as we can examine the fragments later in the day," Musk added, jokingly adding,
"At least the crater is in the right place!"
.
The episode occurred at the SpaceX facility in Boca Chica, Texas, during an attempt to achieve a complicated landing technique.
Although the takeoff had been successful and the rocket's autonomous in-flight maneuvers could be demonstrated, the
SN11 prototype
ended up exploding.
As the rocket approached maximum altitude, the engines gradually shut down to begin their free fall to the ground before executing a "landing burn".
Looks like engine 2 had issues on ascent & didn't reach operating chamber pressure during landing burn, but, in theory, it wasn't needed.
Something significant happened shortly after landing burn start.
Should know what it was once we can examine the bits later today.
- Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 30, 2021
This is SpaceX's fourth high-altitude flight since December.
News in development.
SL
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