SpaceX loses contact with Starship during test flight

PanARMENIAN.Net - SpaceX has announced the loss of communication with the Starship prototype during its eighth test flight.

“We can confirm that we lost contact with the spacecraft. Unfortunately, this happened last time as well, so we know what to do [in such situations]. We have taken many necessary measures to ensure people’s safety,” said the host of the launch livestream on X.

The rocket was launched at 6:30 p.m. Eastern Time (2:30 a.m. Moscow Time) from the Boca Chica spaceport in Texas. About ten minutes after liftoff, contact with Starship’s second stage was lost. Before SpaceX stopped receiving telemetry, it was reported that several engines had failed and the spacecraft had lost attitude control. The causes of the incident are being investigated.

The previous, seventh test launch in January also ended in failure when the spacecraft broke apart during ascent due to a fuel leak. During the eighth test flight, SpaceX aimed to deploy four simulators of Starlink communication satellites into orbit.

Nevertheless, SpaceX successfully caught the Super Heavy booster as it returned to the Mechazilla platform. This marked the third successful landing of the booster in all test flights.

According to the company's plans, the Starship space system is designed to be versatile, capable of carrying out a variety of missions, including crewed flights to low Earth orbit, satellite deployment, and deep space exploration. In the future, Starship is expected to support missions to the Moon, Mars, and other celestial bodies.

The system is designed for vertical landings on Earth for both the Starship spacecraft and the Super Heavy booster, which serves as the first stage. The total height of the system is 121 meters, with 50 meters for the spacecraft and 71 meters for the booster. The diameter is 9 meters, and the payload capacity ranges from 100 to 150 tons.