12.5-Kilometer Test Flight

Launch Partial Failure

Liftoff Time (GMT)

22:45:28

Wednesday December 9, 2020

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Mission Details

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Launch Notes

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.

12.5-Kilometer Test Flight

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

Rocket

Retired
Starship Prototype

Active 2020 to 2021

SpaceX logo

Agency

SpaceX

Rocket

Diameter: 9m

Height: 50.3m

Liftoff Thrust

5,300 Kilonewtons

Fairing

Diameter: 9m

Stages

1

Launch Site

Suborbital Pad A

Starbase, Texas, USA

Fastest Turnaround

62 days 23 hours

Stats

Starship Prototype


1st

Mission

1st

Mission of 2020