If the successful maneuver last October had provoked Donald Trump’s admiration for Elon Musk, this time, he did not react on social networks after this failed operation.
A splash then a flop. Elon Musk’s megarocket completed its sixth test flight this Tuesday, November 19, in Texas. The perfect opportunity for the wealthy businessman to impress Donald Trump and strengthen their new friendship. Unfortunately, the maneuver did not go as planned.
The sixth test flight of this giant rocket took off at 4 p.m. (11 p.m. in Paris) from the company’s Starbase in Boca Chica, Texas (United States). The goal of the operation: recover the first stage of the Super Heavy rocket using retrorockets and return it intact to the launch pad. The opportunity for the boss of Tesla and Space X to impress the Republican alongside whom he is closer than ever.
Shortly after takeoff, Space X announced that the criteria were not met to attempt this operation and the Super Heavy landed in the Gulf of Mexico where it disintegrated. The Starship, for its part, continued its flight before landing in the Indian Ocean during the day under the eyes of the 47th American president. An unprecedented maneuver which had nevertheless succeeded last October and which had earned him the pride of Donald Trump.
This failure does not seem to shake the confidence of Elon Musk who congratulated himself on X about this “landing at sea”. Donald Trump did not speak out on social networks.
Space X aims to use Starship, the world’s largest and most powerful rocket, to colonize Mars. The development of this spacecraft is closely followed by NASA, which is counting on Elon Musk to bring its astronauts back to the Moon. Made up of a Super Heavy first stage 70 meters long above the Starshiop ship (50 meters), after being propelled, the Super Heavy must detach itself and begin its descent onto the launch pad. An unprecedented maneuver that was successful last October and which earned the Tesla boss the praise of Donald Trump who believed he “be in a movie”.
The rocket must, ultimately, be entirely reusable. This is why SpaceX is seeking to catch up with its first stage, in order to be able to launch more machines more quickly and, for much less expensive than if it had to use new equipment each time.
The businessman continues to promise that the first crewed flights to Mars will take place in 4 years aboard his rockets. An objective shared by Trump who wants these missions to take place before the end of his mandate.
How could setbacks from the failed Starship launch influence future NASA mission timelines and collaborations with SpaceX?
1. Can you tell us about the failed Starship launch and how it differs from the successful launch in October?
2. How significant is the development of SpaceX’s Starship and Super Heavy rocket to NASA’s plans for lunar exploration and eventual Mars missions?
3. What role does the reusability of rocket components play in the overall success of SpaceX’s mission, and what challenges does it present during testing?
4. How does the relationship between Elon Musk and former President Donald Trump impact SpaceX’s projects and goals, if at all?
5. What is the current timeline for the first crewed flight to Mars, and are there any potential challenges or setbacks that could occur along the way?
6. How does this failure impact public perception of SpaceX’s capabilities and Elon Musk’s leadership, considering the high expectations set by previous successes?
7. Are there any steps SpaceX could take to improve their communication or outreach efforts following the failed launch to address concerns or reassure investors and stakeholders?
