Test flight for SpaceX’s Starship rocket reaches space — but explodes again

SpaceX, an American aerospace manufacturer, said it launched the second integrated flight test of Starship on Saturday.

The company said the launch, which occurred at SpaceX’s site near Boca Chica, Texas, United States, was not successful as the super heavy booster exploded.

“Starship successfully lifted off under the power of all 33 Raptor engines on the Super Heavy Booster and made it through stage separation,” SpaceX said in a post on X.

“The booster experienced a rapid unscheduled disassembly shortly after stage separation while Starship’s engines fired for several minutes on its way to space.

“With a test like this, success comes from what we learn, and today’s test will help us improve Starship’s reliability as SpaceX seeks to make life multiplanetary.”

SpaceX was aiming for an altitude of 150 miles with its Starship, according to Sky News, but after reaching 91 miles (148km), an explosion occurred according to a camera view tracking the core Starship booster.

Today’s test flight lasted about 12 minutes before the explosion and SpaceX team lost control of the vehicle in space.

It is an improvement compared to the first test conducted in April, which lasted for four minutes before exploding — at the point of stage separation was where the first attempt in April failed.

SpaceX also announced the successful liftoff of the Falcon 9 rocket.

First launched in 2010, Falcon 9 is a partially reusable medium-lift launch vehicle that can carry cargo and crew into earth orbit, designed, manufactured and launched by SpaceX, founded by Elon Musk.

The company said the rockets were launched from Cape Canaveral force station, Florida, with 23 Starlink satellites.