The Starship rocket from SpaceX, a company owned by Elon Musk, took off Thursday on its third test flight, after two attempts that ended in explosions last year. The long-term goal of the project is using it on trips to the moon and Mars. However, it was later learned that the rocket was lost while returning to Earth's atmosphere during the test flight.
Watch the super hot plasma field grow as Starship re-enters the atmosphere! pic.twitter.com/to4UOF2Kpd
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 14, 2024
"We have lost ship 28," said the announcer during the live video broadcast, as reported by AFP.
The rocket took off from Boca Chica, Texas. At 120 meters high, Starship is the largest rocket in the world. It is also the most powerful.
"The third flight test aims to build on previous flights while attempting a number of ambitious objectives, including the successful ascent burn of both stages, opening and closing Starship's payload door, a propellant transfer demonstration during the upper stage's coast phase," SpaceX explained.
