|
The Federal Aviation Administration announced Wednesday that the
hourlong spaceflight resulted in a mishap based on the
performance of the mega rocket's first-stage booster.
Minutes after Starship blasted off from Texas on Friday, the
booster separated as normal but engines conked out as it made
its way back to Earth. Instead of a controlled splashdown in the
Gulf of Mexico, the booster came in hard. There were no reports
of injury or property damage, according to the FAA, which will
oversee the company's investigation.
The spacecraft continued around the world, releasing 20 mock
satellites before ending the mission as planned with a fiery
splashdown in the Indian Ocean.
The 407-foot (124-meter) rocket is SpaceX CEO Elon Musk’s
biggest and most powerful Starship yet, designed to carry crews
to Mars. NASA is looking for it to land astronauts on the moon
as soon as 2028 and help build a lunar base.
All contents © copyright 2026 Associated Press. All rights
reserved |
|
