China News Service, Houston, March 14th. On the 14th local time, the US Space Exploration Technology Company (SpaceX) "Starship" heavy-lift rocket was launched for the third time in Texas.
The company said that the second-stage Starship spacecraft lost contact during the re-entry stage.
The live broadcast showed that at 9:25 on the 14th Eastern Time, the "Starship" heavy-lift launch vehicle lifted off from the research and development, testing and launch base in Boca Chica, Texas.
More than two minutes later, the rocket's first-stage "Super Heavy" booster and the second-stage spacecraft were successfully "thermally separated."
During the space taxiing stage, "Starship" completed technical demonstrations such as opening and closing the payload bay door and propellant transfer.
Subsequently, the "Starship" attempted to re-ignite the "Raptor" engine in space and conduct a controlled re-entry into the atmosphere.
But after 49 minutes of flight, all contacts were interrupted when the "Star Boat" passed through the atmosphere again.
US media analysis said that the spacecraft may have disintegrated.
The "Starship" heavy-lift launch vehicle is 120 meters high and 9 meters in diameter, making it larger than SpaceX's existing "Falcon 9" and "Falcon Heavy" launch vehicles.
According to the company's official website, this recyclable rocket is designed to transport people and cargo to Earth orbit, the moon and Mars, with a payload capacity of more than 100 tons per flight.
In the coming years, Starship could send NASA astronauts to the lunar surface.
SpaceX has said that the third test flight of "Starship" will achieve "a series of ambitious goals" based on previous attempts.
Examples include reigniting a Raptor engine in space, opening and closing the payload bay door, and transferring propellant between two fuel tanks.
In addition, SpaceX also hopes to demonstrate that the "Starship" can re-enter the Earth's atmosphere under controlled conditions and splash down in the Indian Ocean.
According to reports, these are key technologies for the United States’ future space missions such as moon landings.
On April 20, 2023, "Starship" conducted its first test launch in Texas.
The first-stage booster of the rocket was equipped with 33 Raptor engines, but several engines did not emit flames after the rocket took off, and the rocket booster did not separate from the spacecraft as planned.
Subsequently, the rocket exploded and crashed into the Gulf of Mexico, causing serious damage to the launch pad.
On November 18, 2023, "Star Boat" was tested again.
Less than 3 minutes after liftoff, the first and second stages of the rocket successfully separated, but the booster exploded shortly after and the spacecraft also exploded before reaching the target altitude.
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