OAN’s Abril Elfi
11:19 AM – Friday, March 15, 2024
SpaceX lost contact with its anticipated Starship rocket launch during its re-entry over the Indian Ocean.
After announcing the success of the third test flight, SpaceX lost contact with its Starship rocket on Thursday while it was reentering the atmosphere over the Indian Ocean.
As the “largest and most powerful rocket ever constructed,” the mega rocket was launched from Texas, close to the Mexican border, but then soon vanished.
The craft successfully launched at 8:25 a.m. local time from the company’s base in Boca Chica, Texas.
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk hailed its entry into space on an X (Twitter) post, announcing: “Starship reached orbital velocity! Congratulations @SpaceX team!!”
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson also posted on X, congratulating the company and the Starship team on the test flight.
“Congrats to @SpaceX on a successful test flight! Starship has soared into the heavens. Together, we are making great strides through Artemis to return humanity to the Moon—then look onward to Mars.”
The rocket is being tested as the company pushes to travel to the moon, and eventually, Mars, according to Musk.
“As the most powerful launch system ever developed, Starship will be able to carry up to 100 people on long-duration, interplanetary flights,” a SpaceX rep said. “Starship will also enable satellite delivery, the development of a Moon base, and point-to-point transport here on Earth.”
In November 2023, SpaceX had carried out a second test flight of its Starship rocket, however, during which the booster exploded and the whole spacecraft appeared to explode too after entering space.
In order to ascertain the cause of the incident and how to keep it from happening again, the Federal Aviation Administration announced that it would supervise a SpaceX-led accident investigation. Until it was satisfied that there was no risk to public safety, it would not permit another launch. SpaceX received approval from the FAA on Wednesday to conduct the third test flight.
The spacecraft was in space for over 45 minutes when communication between the ship and the command center was lost.
The FAA said on Thursday that it will supervise SpaceX’s investigation into the third launch “mishap” involving the Super Heavy booster and Starship vehicle.
“No public injuries or public property damage have been reported,” the FAA said. “The FAA is overseeing the SpaceX-led mishap investigation to ensure the company complies with its FAA-approved mishap investigation plan and other regulatory requirements.”
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