SpaceX Starship SN10 launch - as it happened: Mars-bound prototype finally lands but explodes shortly after
Roughly eight minutes after landing, SN10 exploded while sitting at a lean on the landing pad
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Your support makes all the difference.SpaceX has successfully performed a flight test of its Mars-bound Starship spacecraft on Wednesday after several delays.
Starship SN10 lifted off to 10km before landing successfully at SpaceX’s Boca Chica facility in Texas, achieving what its predecessors could not.
Roughly eight minutes after landing, SN10 exploded while sitting at a lean on the landing pad.
Despite the explosion, the high-altitude flight test marked significant progress towards Elon Musk’s Mars ambitions.
SpaceX provided a live stream of the launch and landing, but did ended it before the explosion took place.
You can read all the updates as they happened here.
Starship fuelling imminent
It looks like Starship has finished pre-flight checks and is entering the fuelling stage imminently.
As the lift-off ticks down, Starship SN10 will be hoping to avoid the mistakes of its predecessors.
This incredible composite image by photographer Richard Angle (@RDAnglePhoto on Twitter) shows how close SN8 came to achieving a landing. After completing the complex landing-flip manoeuvre, it managed to right itself but came in too heavy.
Venting!
We have venting! That’s the condenser spewing vapour from the bottom of the craft, which generally starts just over 30 minutes before lift off.
Starship countdown timeline
The next steps on the Starship countdown timeline after the condenser are the skirt vent, followed by the upper tank vent, then the tri-vent.
Then lift-off.
Starahip countdown on hold?
There has been no more venting from Starship since the condenser, suggesting the countdown may be on hold. We’ll keep you posted when we have an update.
Still plenty of time left
There is more than five hours left in this launch window, so still plenty of time left for SpaceX to pull this off today.
'60 per cent’
SpaceX boss Elon Musk has been unusually quiet on Twitter since announcing today’s launch, likely because he is very busy with preparations.
He has previously given SN10 a 60 per cent chance of succeeding.
SpaceX Starship SN10 launch this week has ‘60% chance of landing’, says Elon Musk
Latest test designed to ‘help humanity return to the moon, and travel to Mars and beyond’
Vehicle in the launch area?
There appears to be a vehicle in the launch area, which could push back today’s schedule by up to an hour and a half.
Weather improving
In brighter news, the overcast skies that have been shrouding Boca Chica all morning appear to be clearing. That will give us a much better view of Starship on its 10km-altitude flight - if it goes ahead.
‘Ground vent valve stuck open'
The reason for the delay was an issue with the ground vent valve, according to CNBC’s space reporter Michael Sheetz.
Apparently the vent was stuck open when Starship SN10 was about to start loading with propellent.
The good news is that it is not a major issue and SpaceX is reportedly still looking to launch today.
Launchpad clearing
Cars are leaving the launch area, which means the valve issue has likely been fixed and we are back on track for a launch today.
The condenser also appears to be venting, meaning we could be less than 45 minutes away from Starship SN10 taking flight.
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