SpaceX CEO Elon Musk and his team visited the Starship SN8 landing pad location in Boca Chica, Texas on Friday. The team inspected the remnants of the destroyed test prototype which exploded on landing last Thursday.
After a successful test launch and flight, the Starship SN8 prototype just missed the mark on landing, even the belly flop was perfect. Maybe the distance and the timing of firing the Raptor engine thrusters was a bit wrong this time. However, there is a lot to learn from this experience and the data will come in handy for sure in the next test launches and ensure better landings.
Let’s re-watch this historic moment in a shortened video by NasaSpaceFlight.com.
Musk / SpaceX super fanboy and launch observer, Everyday Astronaut also put together a beautifully edited video of the SN8 launch and landing sequence in a short video, showing both events side-by-side.
In response to a request for saving the Starship SN8 nose cone as a monument, Elon Musk agreed to preserve it in the memory of the great SN8. Also since Musk has permanently relocated to Texas, he will most probably be present at all the Starship prototype launches coming in the near future.
More pics of the exploded Starship SN8 prototype were posted by the SpaceX board member Steve Jurvetson. The pics show what such an impact can do to 30X cold-rolled stainless steel, feels like paper from a distance — but it is the best as Elon Musk chose it for Starship last year.
Steve, posted the following super-closeup picture of the Starship SN8 just before the launch. This shows the monstrosity of this prototype spaceship, a step closer towards Starship that will aim for Mars.
In a recent interview at the Axel Springer Award, Elon Musk said that the first mission to Mars is expected to be launched in 4-6 years.
SpaceX Emergency Operations Tesla Model 3 is also seen in one of the SpaceX team visit pictures at the SN8 landing pad. This is probably the vehicle that Musk used to reach the landing pad to inspect the aftermath of the SN8 explosion site.
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