After repeated explosions, new take a look at for Musk’s megarocket

Elon Musk’s SpaceX introduced Friday that its Starship megarocket is scheduled to blast off on a brand new take a look at flight subsequent weekend after latest makes an attempt have led to fiery explosions.

The most important and strongest launch automobile in historical past is deliberate to return Individuals to the moon—and is central to the desires of colonizing Mars envisioned by Musk, the world’s richest individual.

However repeated explosions that despatched particles raining down over Caribbean islands and disrupted flights have piled strain onto SpaceX to tug off a smoother trial run.

The rocket’s tenth take a look at flight is about to launch as quickly as August 24 from the corporate’s Starbase facility in Texas, SpaceX mentioned on its web site.

Throughout two take a look at flights earlier this yr, the rocket’s higher stage—which is the spacecraft supposed to hold crew and cargo—erupted in fiery cascades not lengthy after launch.

Starship managed to make it to area over the last take a look at in late Might, nevertheless it then blew up when a gas leak brought about it to lose management.

The rocket’s propulsion system was additionally purported to execute a deliberate splashdown within the Gulf of Mexico—nevertheless it disintegrated earlier than reaching the water.

Standing 403 ft (123 meters) tall, the black-and-white behemoth is designed to finally be absolutely reusable and launch at comparatively low price.

SpaceX has been betting that its “fail quick, be taught quick” ethos—which helped it dominate business spaceflight—will as soon as once more repay.

However the newest string of setbacks, which additionally contains an explosion throughout a routine floor take a look at in June, has raised severe questions on Starship’s progress.

Musk—who is understood for making extraordinarily bold proposals—maintains that the rocket will launch its first uncrewed missions to Mars subsequent yr.

SpaceX has additionally been sharply criticized over the affect its launches have on individuals and the atmosphere close to the place its rockets blast off.

In June, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum threatened to sue SpaceX over falling particles and contamination from its launches.

Extra Starship checks are anticipated within the coming months, nevertheless, after the US aviation regulator authorised the variety of its annual launches growing from 5 to 25.

© 2025 AFP