South Padre Island, TX - After its first test flight on Thursday, SpaceX rocket crashed in the Gulf of Mexico.
Space X Starship
Sean Purdue Astrophotos IG @seangperdue
The intended mission was to send the SpaceX rocket on a trip round the world, starting at the southern tip of Texas.
Official statements from SpaceX said multiple engines on the 33-engine booster were not firing as the rocket was launched.
The rocket was destroyed intenly by its self-destruct system, with debris exploding and landed into the water.
Musk, in a tweet, called it “an exciting test launch of Starship! Learned a lot for next test launch in a few months.” SpaceX termed it a “rapid unscheduled disassembly.”
Week's prior to the launch, Elon Musk gave a "50-50" odds that the rocket would reach orbit.
The Federal Aviation Administration has stated it would oversee the accident investigation, noting that no injuries or public property damage were reported. The agency also said that until it determines that there is no threat to public safety, Starships are grounded.
The intention of SpaceX was to use "Starship" to send people and cargo to the moon, and hopefully, Mars.
The "Starship" will be reserved for its next moonwalking team, and tourists are already booked for this space trip as well.
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