SpaceX's Starship SN9 Exploded During Failed Landing Attempt

On February 2, Elon Musk's SpaceX attempted to lift a Starship SN9 rocket to a height of 10 km. Although the goal was achieved, the prototype crashed on landing.

On Tuesday, February 2, at the SpaceX facility in Boca Chica, Texas, a test of the rocket Starship SN9 began. Unfortunately, not everything went how Elon Musk planned. When the prototype reached an altitude of 10 km, it went into freefall. Problems began during the approach to landing. It was then that the engines, which would put the machine in an upright position, were supposed to turn on. However, the engines failed, and the SN9 hit the surface and exploded. Right next to the scene of the accident stood the second platform, on which the prototype SN10 was proudly displayed. SpaceX's losses could have been even greater, but the newer model was not damaged.

Sometimes victories are born in pains and Elon Musk knows it well. The December flight of Starship SN8 ended in a similar way. At that time, the owner of SpaceX admitted to a mistake, explaining the landing accident with too low pressure in the additional fuel tank. We can assume that this time SpaceX engineers will also draw the right conclusions - let's hope that the next test of the prototype will end up without anything exploding. Elon Musk has very ambitious plans - he is convinced that in a few years a man will stand on Mars.