“Mars, Here We Come!” – SpaceX Celebrates Test Launch, Despite Explosive Crash

SpaceX founder Elon Musk says several systems performed successfully before Wednesday's Starship SN8 test flight came crashing down in a fiery explosion. KPRC's Rose-Ann Aragon reports.

(NBC News) SpaceX’s high-altitude test flight for its prototype Starship SN8 ended in an explosion Wednesday as the spacecraft attempted to land in Boca Chica, Texas.

It was the first test of its kind for the Starship, running all three Raptor engines in an attempt to reach a height of more than 41,000 feet.

After climbing, the craft did a bellyflop maneuver and then corrected itself. The prototype came in for a landing at an angle before exploded at what appeared to be touchdown.

Still, SpaceX founder Elon Musk declared success after the launch, tweeting “Successful ascent, switchover to header tanks & precise flap control to landing point!” and “Fuel header tank pressure was low during landing burn, causing touchdown velocity to be high & RUD, but we got all the data we needed! Congrats SpaceX team hell yeah!!”

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