SpaceX captured the Starship rocket's Super Heavy Booster for the second time after it launched the upper stage on Thursday during the system's seventh test flight. Shortly after the successful capture, SpaceX representatives reported the craft missing after losing contact with the company for about eight and a half minutes into the flight.
The ship successfully separated from the booster and started its own rocket engines to climb into orbit before its engines were fired. The company then saw its link to telemetry from the craft, and minutes later, SpaceX confirmed that the craft had experienced “an anomaly with an upper stage” at the end of its ascent burn in space.
The company removed the first booster “catch,” which involved weapons on the launch tower that pulled the rocket stage out of the air, using rockets to slow its descent. October 2024. A second attempt to capture the accelerator in November was aborted. Due to communication problems.
The SpaceX rocket that launched Thursday was upgraded in several ways from previous test flights. The company hopes to test different heat plates in the ship section that prevent it from re-entering. The launch tower is also equipped with radar sensors to more accurately locate the booster during the capture process.
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