TEXAS: The world’s most powerful rocket, SpaceX’s Starship, completed a successful orbital test flight before ending in a dramatic fiery explosion during its return phase, officials confirmed.
The rocket was launched on the night of May 22 from SpaceX’s Starbase facility in Texas. The mission marked the 12th test flight of the Starship system developed by SpaceX.
According to initial reports, the flight achieved major milestones, including successful launch, orbital re-entry, and controlled descent. However, shortly before a planned splashdown in the Indian Ocean, the spacecraft exploded and turned into a massive fireball.
SpaceX said the mission was intended to test the third version of Starship and its spacecraft systems, which are being developed for future deep-space missions, including Mars exploration and lunar landings under NASA’s Artemis program.
During the flight, one of the six engines reportedly failed, forcing the remaining engines to compensate with increased fuel burn. Despite the anomaly, the rocket continued its mission profile and completed key stages of re-entry.
The Starship system consists of a 120-metre-tall fully reusable launch vehicle, including a Super Heavy booster powered by 33 engines and an upper-stage spacecraft designed to separate after launch.
The latest setback comes despite significant design upgrades aimed at improving reliability. SpaceX has been working closely with the NASA to develop Starship as a future human landing system for the Artemis 3 mission, which aims to return astronauts to the Moon for the first time in decades.
While the test flight is being viewed as partially successful due to its achievements in orbital performance, the final-stage failure highlights ongoing technical challenges in the development of the next-generation spacecraft intended for both lunar and Mars missions.
