
SpaceX launches Starship rocket in explosive 2nd test flight
- by ABC News
- Nov 18, 2023
- 0 Comments
- 0 Likes Flag 0 Of 5

November 18, 2023, 2:14 PM
1:40
SpaceX's Starship rocket launches from Starbase during its second test flight in Boca Chica, Texas, on November 18, 2023.
Timothy A. Clary/AFP via Getty Images
SpaceX launched its Starship rocket Saturday morning for the deep-space vehicle's second test flight, during which the booster exploded after separating and the spacecraft apparently detonated after reaching space.
SpaceX officials said the mega rocket -- which is designed to bring NASA astronauts to the moon -- successfully lifted off from Boca Chica, Texas, under the power of all 33 engines. The booster then successfully separated from the spacecraft before shortly experiencing what SpaceX called a "rapid unscheduled disassembly" and exploding.
SpaceX's Starship rocket launches from Starbase during its second test flight in Boca Chica, Texas, on November 18, 2023.
Timothy A. Clary/AFP via Getty Images
Starship's engines continued to fire for several minutes on its way to space until SpaceX lost data from the second stage of the rocket, SpaceX officials said during a livestream. The spacecraft appears to have detonated, officials said.
"The automated flight termination system on second stage appears to have triggered very late in the burn as we were headed downrange out over the Gulf of Mexico," aerospace engineer John Insprucker said during the livestream.
SpaceX's Starship rocket launches from Starbase during its second test flight in Boca Chica, Texas, on Nov. 18, 2023.
Timothy A. Clary/AFP via Getty Images
SpaceX congratulated its team on a successful lift-off and booster separation, which comes months after the booster failed to separate during the first flight test.
"With a test like this, success comes from what we learn, and today's test will help us improve Starship's reliability as SpaceX seeks to make life multiplanetary," SpaceX said on X on Saturday.
The Federal Aviation Administration said no injuries or public property damage have been reported after a "mishap" occurred during the launch, resulting in the loss of the vehicle.
SpaceX's Starship rocket launches from Starbase during its second test flight in Boca Chica, Texas, on Nov. 18, 2023.
Timothy A. Clary/AFP via Getty Images
The FAA said it will oversee a mishap investigation led by SpaceX to determine the root cause of the event and ways to prevent it from happening again.
Popular Reads
Please first to comment
Related Post
Stay Connected
Tweets by elonmuskTo get the latest tweets please make sure you are logged in on X on this browser.