Starship Rockets to New Heights but Fails to Land Safely in Third Test Flight

On Tuesday, SpaceX’s Starship rocket successfully launched into space from the launch pad at around 15:25 Finnish time. The massive spacecraft soared through the sky for over an hour before landing in the Indian Ocean, where it was unfortunately destroyed upon impact.

Radio communication was lost during the flight due to atmospheric friction causing the ship to heat up too much. Despite being protected by heat shields, the connection was lost before it hit the sea. Although the flight included several tests, such as testing cargo spaces and fuel transfer between tanks, SpaceX’s main objective of reaching its destination was not achieved.

This third test of the Starship marked a significant milestone in SpaceX’s plan to eventually use this rocket to transport cargo and people to the Moon and Mars, making it the largest launcher in history. The Super Heavy and Starship stages of the rocket reach a combined height of 122 meters on the launch pad. Refueling tests were conducted earlier this year near the launch site in Texas with an aim to demonstrate reusability of both stages.

NASA has selected SpaceX’s Starship to carry astronauts to lunar surface for Artemis 3 mission in preparation for human return to moon since 1972. Before astronauts can land on lunar surface in 2026, SpaceX must first refuel Starship in orbit and achieve successful lunar orbit missions. Previous flights encountered issues such as accidental destruction due to communication errors from space to Earth.

The FAA identified and required repairs to 17 issues on SpaceX’s Starship before proceeding with third test flight which included fuel leaks, fire protection and propellant vents among others