They’re calling it a success, but SpaceX’s Starship SN8 exploded while testing a landing in Cameron County, Texas. The prototype is a prelude to America’s first manned mission to Mars.
“On Wednesday, December 9, Starship serial number 8 (SN8) lifted off from our Cameron County launch pad and successfully ascended, transitioned propellant, and performed its landing flip maneuver with precise flap control to reach its landing point. Low pressure in the fuel header tank during the landing burn led to high touchdown velocity resulting in a hard (and exciting!) landing,” SpaceX said.
“Successful ascent, the switchover to header tanks & precise flap control to landing point!” Elon Musk wrote on Twitter. “Fuel header tank pressure was low during landing burn, causing touchdown velocity to be high & RUD, but we got all the data we needed. Congrats SpaceX team hell yeah!”