Just a few days after the failed launch of SpaceX’s Starship, tycoon Elon Musk, owner of the firm, commented that there was a late self-destruction, which represented an additional risk to safety on the ground.
Thebillionaire said that through the test it was noted that the structural margins of the vehicle «seem to be better than expected» and even stated that although it was not possible to reach space, the result was «more or less what was expected» exceeding expectations.
Musk announced that as a result of the incident there was minimal damage to the platform, in addition to generating a cloud of debris and dust that reached a town almost 10 kilometers away from the takeoff site.
Within the timeline, Elon Musk reported that three of the Super Heavy’s 33 engines, Starship’s first stage failed and shut down before the rocket left the launch pad, causing it to tilt to one side as it rose.
27 seconds after takeoff, there was a problem in one of the engines due to an energy event, which ended up damaging several nearby engines. After 85 seconds of flight the Starship lost its ability to control its direction and thus flew erratically.
Se announced that between 4 and 5 Starship launches are planned before the end of the year, with an estimated 80 percent probability of reaching orbit in 2023.
