On March 30, local time, the prototype SN11 of SpaceX's next-generation heavy-duty launch vehicle "Xingzhou" conducted a test flight in Texas and failed to land safely.
At 8 am, the "Xingzhou" SN11 flight test mission was carried out at the company's R&D and test base in Boca Chica.
This is the fourth high-altitude flight test of the "Xingzhou" prototype.
According to a report from the technology media "Space" website, SN11 lifted smoothly to a predetermined altitude of 6.2 miles after launch.
However, at 5 minutes and 49 seconds after its launch, the live webcast of the flight test mission was interrupted.
SpaceX engineer John Inspruk said that SN11 failed to land safely.
He said, "All data on the spacecraft may have been lost."
According to the media, there was heavy fog in the Boca Chica area of Texas that day, and the live video of the test flight was obscured by the fog, making it difficult to identify the landing and landing phases of SN11.
SpaceX CEO Musk said on social media twitter that day that a "Raptor" engine of the SN11 had problems during the ascent process and did not reach the pressure of the combustion chamber when it landed and burned.
Musk also said that the cause of the SN11 crash remains to be investigated and has nothing to do with the engine problem.
According to the official website of SpaceX, the "Xingzhou" heavy-duty launch vehicle is a new type of recyclable rocket designed to transport people and cargo to the earth's orbit, the moon, and Mars, with a load capacity of more than 100 tons per class.
According to US Consumer News and Business Channel reports, Musk had estimated that the "Xingzhou" rocket project would cost about $5 billion.
Since December 2020, SpaceX has performed four "Xingzhou" prototype flight test missions.
In the previous three missions, "Xingzhou" SN8 and SN9 exploded during landing, and SN10 finished landing but then exploded.
(Producing Li Jiali)
Editor in charge: [Ji Xiang]