SpaceXs 2nd Starship test flight ends with another kaboom – NEWS10 ABC

A SpaceX prototype is seen on Nov. 30, 2020, ready to launch from the companys private facility near Boca Chica Beach, Texas. (Border Report File Photo/Sandra Sanchez)

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) SpaceXs second full test flight of its futuristic, bullet-shaped Starship ended in another fiery crash landing Tuesday.

Elon Musks company launched its latest Starship prototype from the southeastern tip of Texas, two months after the previous test ended in an equally explosive belly flop.

The full-scale stainless steel rocket reached its intended altitude of 6.2 miles (10 kilometers), slightly lower than the last one. Everything seemed to be going well as the 160-foot (50-meter) Starship flipped on its side and began its descent. But it did not manage to straighten itself back up in time for a landing and slammed into the ground.

Weve just got to work on that landing a little bit, said SpaceX launch commentator John Insprucker. Reminder this is a test flight.

The next Starship stood nearby at the launch site in Boca Chica, Texas, during Tuesdays test, which lasted 6 1/2 minutes.

Musk is developing Starship to carry people to Mars, perhaps in as little as several years. Its the upper stage of his intended moon- and Mars-ships, meant to launch atop a mega rocket called Super Heavy that is still being developed.

SpaceX tried to launch Starship last week, but failed to get the necessary approval from the Federal Aviation Administration, prompting a Twitter outburst from Musk.

SpaceX did not comply with safety regulations for the Dec. 9 flight, an FAA spokesperson said Tuesday, and needed to take corrective action before proceeding with launch operations. Tuesdays flight met all safety criteria, according to the FAA.

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SpaceXs 2nd Starship test flight ends with another kaboom - NEWS10 ABC