An attempt to launch the most powerful rocket ever into space has been postponed for at least 48 hours.
The vehicle, known as Starship, has been built by US entrepreneur Elon Musk’s SpaceX company.
The uncrewed mission on Monday was called off minutes before the planned launch from Boca Chica, Texas.
The problem appears to have been caused by a frozen “pressurant valve”, Musk tweeted. But SpaceX could try to launch again later this week.
Starship stands nearly 120m (400ft) high and is designed to have almost double the thrust of any rocket ever.
The aim is to send the upper-stage of the vehicle eastward, to complete almost one circuit of the globe.
Before the launch was postponed, Mr Musk had appealed for everyone to temper their expectations. It’s not uncommon for a rocket to experience some kind of failure on its initial outing.
“It’s the first launch of a very complicated, gigantic rocket, so it might not launch. We’re going to be very careful, and if we see anything that gives us concern, we will postpone the launch,” he had told a Twitter Spaces event.
Rocket comparison graphic
Thousands of spectators filled coastal locations on the Gulf of Mexico to witness the event.
Elon Musk is hoping to completely upend the rocket business with Starship.
It’s designed to be fully and rapidly reusable. He envisages flying people and satellites to orbit multiple times a day in the same way a jet airliner might criss-cross the Atlantic.
Indeed, he believes the vehicle could usher in an era of interplanetary travel for ordinary humans.
Source: bbc.com
