Launch Partial Failure
Liftoff Time (GMT)
22:45:28
Wednesday December 9, 2020
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First flight of a full-scale Starship prototype. SN8 landed hard and was destroyed due to low pressure in the liquid methane header tank, however most test objectives were achieved.
SpaceX conducted a suborbital test flight of Starship Prototype SN8 to an altitude of 12.5 kilometers under the power of Raptors SN30, SN36, and SN42. During the landing burn, low pressure in the methane header tank caused the propellant flow rate and thus thrust to drop and SN8 landed hard and was destroyed. Ascent, aerodynamic descent, and the landing flip maneuver were all successful.
Suborbital
Agency
SpaceXRocket
Diameter: 9m
Height: 50.3m
Liftoff Thrust
5,300 Kilonewtons
Fairing
Diameter: 9m
Stages
1
1st
Mission
1st
Mission of 2020