SpaceX’s Starship explodes in second failure for Musk’s Mars program

Back-to-back mishaps indicate big setbacks for program to launch satellites and send humans to the moon and Mars

SpaceX’s Starship spacecraft exploded on Thursday minutes after lifting off from Texas, dooming an attempt to deploy mock satellites in the second consecutive failure this year for Elon Musk’s Mars rocket program.

Several videos on social media showed fiery debris streaking through the dusk skies near south Florida and the Bahamas after Starship’s breakup in space, which occurred shortly after it began to spin uncontrollably with its engines cut off, a SpaceX livestream of the mission showed.

Topics

SpaceX’s Latest Starship Explosion Marks Two Consecutive Failures

The new version of Starship will be tested again in four to six weeks. A third consecutive failure could indicate fundamental problems with the updated design.
Wired - 22h
WATCH: SpaceX starship rocket explodes during test flight

Just minutes after a seemingly successful launch from Texas on Thursday night, Starship Flight Test 8 began to spin out of control when mission control lost contact with the unmanned rocket ship.
ABC News - 1d
Last-minute problems with SpaceX's Starship forces delay of latest test flight

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Starship Explosions Show SpaceX No Longer Defying Gravity

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The New York Times - 2h
SpaceX’s Starship Rocket Disrupts Florida Airports With Unsuccessful Test Flight

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The New York Times - 1d
Federal Grant Program Opens Door to Elon Musk’s Starlink

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The New York Times - 3d
Federal Grant Program Opens Door to Elon Musk’s Starlink

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Breaking down the latest space launch mishaps

You may have noticed all the troubling launch and landing mishaps affecting private space missions lately, from two explosions of a SpaceX Starship to lunar landers that can't stay upright. Bill ...
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Elon Musk's Starlink has a growing footprint in the federal government

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NBC News - 1d

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