Starship Super Heavy Has Finally Launched! Before It Committed a RUD...

SpaceX

Over five hours ago, SpaceX's mega-Moon rocket successfully lifted off from Starbase, Texas—beginning a new spaceflight era where humanity now has two heavy-lift launch vehicles (Starship Super Heavy and NASA's Space Launch System) to send people into deep space.

Starship ascended from its Orbital Launch Mount a few minutes after its planned 6:28 AM, PDT (8:28 AM, CDT) launch time—due to Starbase mission controllers wanting to conduct additional pre-flight checks before they were ready to send Super Heavy beyond Earth's atmosphere. The exact time of liftoff was 6:33 AM, PDT (8:33 AM, CDT).

Starship mightily rose into the clear blue Texas sky (to an altitude of around 39 kilometers, or 24 miles), but unfortunately, was destroyed by the range safety officer after the rocket began to tumble uncontrollably at the time when stage separation was supposed to occur between Starship 24 and Booster 7 (B7). As the tweets below show, a couple of Raptor 2 engines on B7 shut down at liftoff and during flight...which inevitably led to Super Heavy losing control and have its flight termination system activated, resulting in a RUD (Rapid Unscheduled Disassembly).

While the Starship era began on a shaky note, Starship 26 and Booster 9 lie in wait at Starbase—ready to take their turns to fly in the second flight test which may happen within the next few months. Stay tuned!


SpaceX


SpaceX


SpaceX

Liftoff from Starbase pic.twitter.com/rgpc2XO7Z9

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) April 20, 2023

Three Raptor engines on the Super Heavy booster apparently failed around liftoff, and the rocket appeared to lose three more in flight before veering out of control about two minutes after liftoff. https://t.co/4Qlst35wgT pic.twitter.com/BTYvj67Kso

— Spaceflight Now (@SpaceflightNow) April 20, 2023

Kinda knew things were not going so hot when I saw this... It definitely looked like it was struggling to maintain its trajectory after it had the engine outs. pic.twitter.com/xZRARjIApk

— Jared Frankle (@JFrankleKSC) April 20, 2023

A dramatic ending to the first Starship Flight Test — likely a flight termination system command? 💥

Excitement guaranteed. Congrats SpaceX!!! pic.twitter.com/yq8vlojAMC

— John Kraus (@johnkrausphotos) April 20, 2023

I was so excited to see Starship clear the tower, but yea, I couldn't resist comparing these outcomes 😁

Still happy for SpaceX!

Artemis I Starship Flight Test pic.twitter.com/yt0cWYPeBX

— Richard Par (@RichTPar) April 20, 2023

Crater McCrater face underneath OLM . Holy cow! #SpaceX #Starbase #Starship #Superheavy pic.twitter.com/mgjefc3MNe

— LabPadre (@LabPadre) April 20, 2023