SpaceX Launches Starship SN11, But “Fails” During Flight Descent

Elon Musk’s SpaceX launched Starship prototype rocket Serial Number 11, or SN11, on Tuesday morning as high as 10 kilometers, or about 32,800 feet in altitude. Preliminary reports state the rocket may have experienced trouble during a landing maneuver. 

*SPACEX STARSHIP FAILS IN TEST FLIGHT DURING DESCENT

— *Walter Bloomberg (@DeItaone) March 30, 2021

Senior Transportation Correspondent for ABC News, David Kerley, tweeted an image of the SN11 debris raining down on the launch pad, suggesting the spaceship experienced some disaster. 

That’s debris falling to the left and slightly above palm tree caught by @NASASpaceflight @SpaceX #Starshipsn11 trouble after the re-light for landing. pic.twitter.com/XV83h260P0

— David Kerley (@David_Kerley) March 30, 2021

Here’s the video of pieces of SN11 falling from the sky. 

Final view of SN11 in the air:

➡️https://t.co/Q2p3q1HS0i pic.twitter.com/PNJta9svkA

— Chris B – NSF (@NASASpaceflight) March 30, 2021

SpaceX is developing Starship to launch cargo to the moon and Mars. 

The SN11 flight is similar to prior ones (SN8, SN9, and SN10) in the past four months – all have launched successfully and completed multiple development objectives but usually end in disaster.