MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 04th March, 2021) Elon Musk, the CEO of US aerospace manufacturer SpaceX, expressed hope for further success of its Starship program, despite the third consecutive prototype ending in a ball of fire.
On Wednesday, SpaceX successfully tested its Starship SN10 prototype rocket after two recent failed attempts. The rocket prototype was launched to an altitude of 30,000 feet and then landed back on the ground. It exploded about six minutes after landing.
The test launch was deemed successful because the goal was to gather information on how the flaps work to control the rocket when it is horizontal as it is falling back to earth.
"Starship SN10 landed in one piece! SpaceX team is doing great work! One day, the true measure of success will be that Starship flights are commonplace," Musk said on Twitter.
SpaceX is developing a space transportation system consisting of a fully reusable super heavy launch vehicle and a Starship spacecraft. The system will allow for the delivery of satellites, crews and cargo both to the near-Earth orbit and to the Moon and Mars.
In February, the Starship prototype crashed and burned while attempting to land in the Texas outback, becoming the second time the prototype rocket's test flight has ended in an explosion. At the same time, both tests were deemed successful, since the main goal of these tests was not a successful landing, but to check the movement of the rocket in the air.
