ISU MSS 2024

Starship SN11 disappeared in fog above Texan Starbase

Ignition and take-off of Starship SN11. Photo: Screenshot from the SpaceX launch video

Luxembourg, 31 March 2021. – “Another exciting test”, SpaceX said: Starship SN11 reached ten kilometers altitude, turned round for its descent and then disappeared in the thick fog of South Texas in this fourth high-altitude or “atmospheric” flight test that SpaceX conducted.

Starship SN11 “is not coming back, don’t wait for the landing. We do appear to have lost all data from the vehicle”, SpaceX commented the frozen picture of the live broadcast and has not given details of what happened to Starship SN11 above the Starbase in Texas since.

It is the fourth attempt and the fourth loss of a Starship in four months.

“A controlled aerodynamic descent with body flaps and vertical landing capability, combined with in-space refilling, are critical to landing Starship at destinations across the solar system where prepared surfaces or runways do not exist, and returning to Earth”, SpaceX said when it prepared for the new attempt.

“This capability will enable a fully reusable transportation system designed to carry both crew and cargo on long-duration, interplanetary flights and help humanity return to the Moon, and travel to Mars and beyond.”

SpaceX has not yet announced a new date for the next, fifth Starship flight attempt. 

Check Also

The Space Café Podcast #103: Building for New Frontiers: How Space Architecture Shapes Our Future in the Cosmos with space architect Georgi Petrov

SpaceWatch.Global is pleased to present: The Space Café Podcast #103:  Building for New Frontiers: How Space Architecture Shapes Our Future in the Cosmos with space architect Georgi Petrov. Space Architecture is not just about creating structures; it's about envisioning a sustainable future for humanity in space. In the latest #SpaceCafePodcast, Markus dives into a thought-provoking conversation with Georgi Petrov, a visionary at the forefront of designing habitats beyond Earth. From the International Space Station's early designs to the ambitious #MoonVillage concept with the European Space Agency, Georgi shares insights into the challenges and innovations in creating environments where humans can thrive in outer space.