Starship launch news – live: SpaceX launches world’s biggest rocket, which explodes shortly after

A video shows the explosion of Elon Musk’s Starship rocket as it blows up right after take off from its launch site

Elon Musk’s SpaceX Starship explodes shortly after launch

SpaceX has launched the world’s biggest rocket – which exploded seconds later.

The spacecraft successfully left its launchpad, but the two parts of the rocket failed to separate and they exploded in a dramatic cloud minutes later.

SpaceX nonetheless hailed the test as a success, having said that any flight that did not blow up the rocket’s launchpad would be considered a “win”.

Mr Musk said that the information gained from the test would be used to guide work on future versions of the spacecraft, the next text of which he said will happen in a “few months”.

You can follow all the latest news and updates right here after SpaceX’s launch of the most powerful and largest rocket the world has ever seen.

Key points

• Rocket dramatic explodes moments after launch
• Everything you need to know about today’s launch
• How big is Starship?
• What will Starship do?

[20 April 2023 14:42 · Andrew Griffin]

SpaceX says launch was a success despite the explosion

The launch was a great success, despite the explosion (or rapid unscheduled disassembly, as SpaceX calls them). It had only hoped that it would clear the launchpad, which it did.

SpaceX doesn’t have any information about the cause of the explosion and so will end its live coverage.

[20 April 2023 14:41 · Andrew Griffin]

Rocket explodes in the sky

Starship just exploded dramatically in the sky.

(SpaceX)

The explosion happened just after the two pieces were supposed to separate.

[20 April 2023 14:35 · Andrew Griffin]

Rocket clears tower

One minute into the test and everything looks like it is working. The rocket has cleared its launchpad and is flying up into space.

(SpaceX)

[20 April 2023 14:34 · Andrew Griffin]

LIFTOFF

Starship is taking off.

(SpaceX)

[20 April 2023 14:33 · Andrew Griffin]

Clock restarted and launch is go

We’re now 40 seconds from launch.

[20 April 2023 14:32 · Andrew Griffin]

Issues appear to be fixed, SpaceX says

Engineers appear to have fixed those problems and we’re moving back towards starting the clock again, SpaceX said. If and when that happens, the clock will start again at 40 seconds.

[20 April 2023 14:32 · Andrew Griffin]

‘Couple of issues’ with rocket

There are a couple of problems being looked into. The first was the pressurisation, which has since been fixed; the second is some final “purging” and we’re just waiting to hear what might be happening with that.

[20 April 2023 14:31 · Andrew Griffin]

Hold could also 15 minutes

The team has the option to hold off launch for about 15 minutes at this point. If there is a problem that is likely to take longer than that, the launch may have to be postponed again as it was on Monday.

(SpaceX)

As of now, there is no update from SpaceX on what has called the hold and whether it might be fixable.

[20 April 2023 14:29 · Andrew Griffin]

Launch is being HELD

The clock reached 40 seconds from launch, which was the last opportunity that flight directors had to hold, and that’s exactly what they did.

We’re now waiting to see why that has happened and when and whether the team will press ahead.

[20 April 2023 14:27 · Andrew Griffin]

One minute to go

The engines are wiggling and the rocket looks like it is about to go.