SpaceX Starship rocket explodes mid-flight

Picture: Reuters

The recent launch of SpaceX's Starship rocket was an important milestone for the company, but unfortunately, it fell short of reaching space and exploded mid-flight.

Despite this setback, the launch represents years of regulatory work and technological testing, and the fact that the rocket flew for nearly 4 minutes and successfully separated from the Super Heavy booster is considered a significant accomplishment.

SpaceX leadership emphasized the experimental nature of the launch and considered any result that involved Starship getting off the launchpad as a success. While the rocket did not make it to space, the company learned a lot from the launch and plans to conduct another test launch in a few months.

It's worth noting that no crew was on board during the launch, which is in line with SpaceX's approach of conducting extensive testing and development before putting humans on board their spacecraft.

Starship is designed to carry both cargo and people beyond Earth and is seen as a critical component of NASA's plan to return astronauts to the moon. SpaceX won a nearly $3 billion contract from NASA in 2021 to use Starship as a crewed lunar lander as part of the agency's Artemis moon program. This contract is an important milestone for SpaceX and its goal to make space travel more accessible and affordable.

The company had hoped to conduct the first orbital Starship launch in the summer of 2021 but faced delays in development and in securing approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). However, the FAA recently granted approval for the first orbital test flight, which is a significant step forward for SpaceX and its ambitious plans for space exploration.