Booster crash
For this test, SpaceX targeted a soft ocean landing of the Super Heavy booster, utilizing its 13 central Raptor engines, each capable of gimbling (pivoting to steer the rocket’s direction). The graphical display on SpaceX’s broadcast suggested that only two engines fired up, while the grid fin was visibly working frantically to orient the falling rocket.
“Super Heavy successfully lit several engines for its first ever landing burn before the vehicle experienced a RUD [rapid unscheduled disassembly],” as SpaceX explained on its website. “The booster’s flight concluded at approximately 462 meters [1,516 feet] in altitude and just under seven minutes into the mission.” SpaceX typically uses the term “RUD” to describe explosions, so I’m not entirely sure what’s meant here; perhaps the booster’s self-destruct system kicked in, or it simply fell apart. Hopefully, we’ll find out soon.
