After repeated explosions, new test for Musk’s megarocket

SpaceX by Elon Musk announced on Friday that his spacecraft Megarot was exploded on a new test flight next weekend after recent attempts ended with fiery explosions.

The largest and most powerful launch vehicle in history is planned to return the Americans to the moon – and is at the heart of the dream dreams envisaged by Musk, the richest person in the world.

But repeated explosions that sent debris that rain on the Caribbean islands and disturbed the flights stacked the pressure on SpaceX to make a more fluid test.

The 10th rocket test flight is expected to be launched on August 24 from the company’s starbase installation in Texas, SpaceX said on its website.

During two test flights earlier this year, the upper rocket stadium – which is the spacecraft intended to transport the crew and the cargo – eruption in ardent waterfalls shortly after the launch.

Starship managed to go to space during the last test at the end of May, but he then exploded when a fuel leak made him lose control.

The rocket propulsion system was also supposed to execute a splash provided in the Gulf of Mexico, but it was disintegrated before reaching water.

Standing 403 feet (123 meters) in height, the black and white giant is designed to be possibly fully reusable and start at a relatively low cost.

SpaceX has bet that his philosophy “fails quickly, learning quickly” – which helped him dominate the commercial space flight – will be paid again.

But the latest reverse chain, which also includes an explosion during a routine ground test in June, raised serious questions about starship progress.

Musk – which is known for having made extremely ambitious proposals – does not go that the rocket will launch its first missions not carried out on March next year.

SpaceX has also been strongly criticized on the impact that its launches have on people and the environment near the place where its rockets are unleashed.

In June, Mexican president Claudia Sheinbaum threatened to continue SpaceX about the fall in debris and the contamination of her launches.

However, more starship tests are expected in the coming months after the American aviation regulator has approved the number of annual launches from five to 25.

© 2025 AFP