SpaceX’s Starship prototype that was launched from Elon Musk’s aerospace company’s rocket facility in Boca Chica, Texas, exploded during the landing process on Wednesday, triggering a slew of reactions from space enthusiasts.
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk confirmed that the “successful test had brought a trove of helpful data.” The live video of the flight took the internet by storm and netizens lauded the prototype launch as momentous, and supported Musk’s remark about it being a huge milestone in space travel.
Musk had previously predicted that the Starship rocket might not be able to land safely and his prediction proved to be true. The SpaceX founder touted the launch as a “gateway to Mars.”
After the failed landing, Musk said the rocket’s “fuel header tank pressure was low” during descent which caused “touchdown velocity to be high.” He went on to say that SpaceX had obtained “all the data we needed” from the test and deemed the rocket’s ascent phase a success.
Successful ascent, switchover to header tanks & precise flap control to landing point! https://t.co/IIraiESg5M
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 9, 2020
The Starship rocket destroyed during the landing mishap was a 16-story-tall prototype for the heavy-lift launch vehicle crafted to a hundred tons of cargo and humans on future missions to the Red Planet and the moon. The self-guided rocket blew up after touching down on a landing pad following the controlled descent.
Mars, here we come!!
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 9, 2020
The test flight was meant to reach an altitude of 41,000 feet. The Twitterverse was left awed by the launch, as well as the explosion as congratulations poured in for SpaceX for making a successful launch. Netizens shared videos and pictures from their own sightings of the rocket’s explosion.
Watch Starship high-altitude test live → https://t.co/Hs5C53qBxb https://t.co/sEMe4firi6
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) December 9, 2020
Starship landing flip maneuver pic.twitter.com/QuD9HwZ9CX
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) December 10, 2020
I still can’t believe this happened! Congratulations to the SpaceX team! pic.twitter.com/nkqaFDatpk
— Jerry 😀 (@StarshipFairing) December 10, 2020
🖤’s 42 |🚀 Woohoo!!#SpaceX 🕹 @elonmusk@Spacex – #Starship | #SN8 📹-/@Nubecitaa #texastodo #southpadreislandpic.twitter.com/p2nnGOf71q
— NAR (@narsocial) December 10, 2020
Starship landing flip maneuver pic.twitter.com/QuD9HwZ9CX
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) December 10, 2020
Starship landing flip maneuver pic.twitter.com/QuD9HwZ9CX
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) December 10, 2020
Starship landing flip maneuver pic.twitter.com/QuD9HwZ9CX
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) December 10, 2020
Gotta love that trial and error attitude. Looks cool too, like a giant hovering bullet. Blowing up a test rocket is like a rocketeer milestone. Way to go SpaceX. https://t.co/vf7vOXZT5I
— Robert G. Schoenberg (@RGSchoenberg) December 10, 2020
Starship landing flip maneuver pic.twitter.com/QuD9HwZ9CX
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) December 10, 2020
This is sci-fi to reality! An epic #Starship #SN8 testflight 🤯 we have lost our minds @SpaceX @elonmusk @Erdayastronaut 🎞️📷 https://t.co/pm7BLvaLYT pic.twitter.com/9zYfnd3yjD
— Cosmic Perspective (@considercosmos) December 10, 2020
Moreover, users responded to Musk’s tweet on Mars and poked jokes on landing a job there when the Tesla founder starts the first flight to Mars. Watch this space for the latest news.
Mars, here we come!!
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 9, 2020
I speak Martian do I get the job ? 🤔
— Damsel (@BubbleGirl1028) December 10, 2020