SpaceX starship EXPLODES on take-off after dramatic pressure failure in test for potential manned Mars missions
A SPACEX Starship exploded on take-off after a dramatic pressure failure during testing for potential missions to Mars.
Elon Musk's prototype of the next-generation SN1 vehicle suffered a malfunction which sent stainless steel cylinders flying in Texas on Friday.
But the prototype failed to contain its liquid nitrogen, sending the cylinder careering off its stand resulting in a huge pile of steel debris.
The epic fail was captured for nasaspaceflight.com and posted to YouTube - but trial and error is part of s 'test-fail-fix' philosophy with SpaceX.
The rocket was supposed to take a short sub-orbital flight and this is the second time one of Musk's SN1s has exploded - another SN1 failed a cryogenic pressure test in November.
The new vehicle is set to take off from the Texas launch site and Kennedy Space Center's pad 39A, with the Super Heavy booster as its ride once production gets into full swing.
But Musk has some stiff competition from the richest man in the world, who reportedly hired SpaceX's former vice president of satellites Rajeev Badyal last year.
The SpaceX CEO is determined about his brainchild two years after proclaiming ";[the] Starship will look like liquid silver."
Only last month, they successfully launched an emergency abort system test into the Atlantic Ocean.
At the Kennedy Space Center, a Falcon 9 rocket blasted off - but one minute later, the Dragon Crew capsule's engines ignited, sending it flying from the booster.
The rocket engines shut down and the booster was destroyed in a blaze but thrusters on the capsule propelled it out of harm's way just before the fire ignited.
It reached 27 miles before parachuting into the ocean just offshore of the Space Coast in a successful nine-minute testing bid.
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