SpaceX's Starship SN10 rocket explodes after successful landing
Earlier today, SpaceX successfully launched and landed its Starship SN10 rocket. The flight took the spacecraft to an altitude of 10 kilometers above ground. SpaceX called it a successful test flight. However, soon after the SpaceX live broadcast concluded, the SN10 (short for Serial Number 10) exploded on the landing pad. To recall, previous test vehicles SN9 and SN8 had crashed into the ground.
SN10 test flight aimed to collect control surface performance data
SpaceX is test-launching Starship rockets from its facility in Boca Chica, Texas. The SN10 test flight aimed to gather data about how well the flaps worked while the Starship was horizontal. This aspect of the six minutes and 29 seconds long test flight was deemed a success after landing. About eight minutes after the landing, the SN10 exploded violently, destroying the rocket.
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk calls SN10's explosion an honorable discharge
Catastrophic rocket engine failure could have caused explosion
Re-watching the landing footage, one can observe that after all three engines were fired up to land the spacecraft, two of them flamed out, which started a fire at the bottom of the rocket. The spacecraft then appears to bounce after it hits the ground upon landing. This suggests that the landing was hard and could have damaged the landing apparatus.
Rocket exploded violently soon after SpaceX's live stream ended
It is clear from the video that the rocket did not land perfectly upright. It is believed that this was due to the loss of thrust from two engines during landing. The fire was likely fuelled by the defunct engines' leaking propellant, with the resultant fire causing fuel stores to heat up and explode later. The explosion was recorded by NASA SpaceFlight.
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk calls test flight a success
However, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk called the test a success. In its live stream, SpaceX said the flight's objective to test flaps during descent was successfully accomplished. The company maintained that the flight went according to plan and it was in complete control of the rocket during flight and landing. It added that Starship SN11 will be tested soon.
