SN10 lands–then explodes

Alejandra Yañez | THE RIDER

SpaceX successfully landed its Starship SN10 prototype during a high-altitude test Wednesday night before the rocket exploded minutes afterward at the Boca Chica launch site.

Wednesday marks the first time in SpaceX history that a Starship prototype landed successfully and vertically during a soft landing. 

SN10’s launch was originally scheduled for 2:15 p.m. but was delayed until 5:20 p.m. due to a launch abort.

Elon Musk, the SpaceX CEO, tweeted an explanation for the delay at 2:39 p.m., stating, “Launch abort on slightly conservative high thrust limit. Increasing thrust limit & recycling propellant for another flight attempt today.”

This was the company’s third high-altitude suborbital flight test for the Starship prototype. 

SN10 succeeded at accomplishing what its predecessors could not despite its glory being short-lived. 

As previously reported by The Rider, the Starship prototype is a stainless steel, 150-foot-tall vehicle.

Similar to its predecessors SN8 and SN9, SN10 was powered by three Raptor engines, each shutting down in sequence prior to the vehicle reaching apogee, which was about 10 kilometers, according to the SpaceX website. 

SN10’s goal, like its predecessors’, was to test the key components of the Starship system, rather than reach maximum altitude, in an effort to ultimately gather data for the next prototype. 

Additionally, SN10 successfully performed a propellant transition to the internal header tanks, which held landing propellant, before reorienting itself for reentry and a controlled aerodynamic descent, according to the SpaceX website.

Similar to SN9, the SN10 vehicle was successful in its “belly flop” maneuver immediately before touching down on the landing pad. 

 The SpaceX website states, “A controlled aerodynamic descent with body flaps and vertical landing capability, combined with in-space refilling, are critical to landing Starship at destinations across the solar system where prepared surfaces or runways do not exist, and returning to Earth.

“This capability will enable a fully reusable transportation system designed to carry both crew and cargo on long-duration, interplanetary flights and help humanity return to the Moon, and travel to Mars and beyond.”

In other SpaceX news, Musk tweeted Tuesday, “Creating the city of Starbase, Texas.” 

Cameron County Judge Eddie Treviño Jr. addressed Musk’s claim in a news release Tuesday.

In the release, Treviño’s office said Cameron County was officially approached by SpaceX regarding Musk’s interest in incorporating Boca Chica Village into the City of Starbase, Texas. 

 “If Elon Musk would like to pursue down this path, they must abide by all the state incorporation statutes,” Treviño stated in the news release. “Cameron County will process any appropriate petitions in conformity with applicable law.”