spacetoday.net: Starship SN10 explodes after test flight

Starship SN10 explodes after test flight

Posted: Sun, Mar 7, 2021, 11:56 AM ET (1656 GMT)
Starship SN10 test flight (SpaceX)

SpaceX launched and landed a Starship prototype Wednesday, only to have the vehicle explode minutes later. The Starship SN10 prototype flew to an altitude of about 10 kilometers on the flight, lasting nearly six and a half minutes late Wednesday at the company's Boca Chica, Texas, test site. Unlike the previous two Starship test flights, SN10 landed intact, and SpaceX declared the flight a success. Less than 10 minutes later, though, there was an explosion at the base of the vehicle, catapulting it skyward before crashing in flames several seconds later. SpaceX did not disclose what caused the explosion, but noted that another Starship prototype, SN11, will soon be ready for tests.