A static-fire test of China’s Tianlong-3 rocket went awry on Sunday, resulting in the rocket unexpectedly lifting off and subsequently crashing back to Earth in a fiery explosion. The incident, caused by a failure in the clamps holding the rocket in place, highlights the risks involved in space exploration, even during routine tests.
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk provided a detailed tour of the Starfactory in Boca Chica, Texas, to Everyday Astronaut YouTuber Tim Dodd. The facility houses Starship production, with ambitions to produce up to 100 spacecraft annually and eventually, a thousand. The tour highlighted the innovative Raptor engine and emphasized the importance of reusability for the Starship program, a key aspect for future missions to the moon and Mars.
SpaceX’s Starship, the colossal rocket designed for lunar and deep-space missions, completed its fourth test flight on June 6, 2024. The uncrewed test launched from Texas, traveled across several oceans, and re-entered Earth’s atmosphere, successfully splashing down in the Indian Ocean. Despite debris shedding from a flap during descent, causing some damage, the test achieved its primary objective of gathering data. The Starship performed a flip maneuver and completed a landing burn, showcasing significant progress from previous attempts. The test also featured the successful splashdown of the Super Heavy booster, paving the way for future reusability.
SpaceX has completed a full launch rehearsal of its Starship rocket, consisting of the Super Heavy booster and upper-stage Starship spacecraft, at its Starbase facility in Boca Chica, Texas. The rehearsal involved fueling the 120-meter-tall rocket and going through all the usual pre-launch procedures, marking the final major test before a spaceflight. SpaceX is awaiting a launch permit from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which is still investigating the third test flight that took place in March. The Starship program aims to build two launch towers at Cape Canaveral in Florida to increase testing capacity, pending permission from the authorities. SpaceX plans to use the Starship for cargo and crew transport to the Moon and Mars.
