SpaceX is still working on the original goal Elon Musk had in mind from the beginning: to make humanity "inter-planetary" as a backup plan, because he thinks people may need to flee from a toxic environment, hostile AI, or some other threat.
Starship is the vehicle designated to transport cargo or passengers (up to 100) through space. This week it was tested with its first-stage booster to see if Starship could achieve orbit. It was the 24th iteration of the vehicle since the prototype (2019).
The test failed in about four minutes, ending in "rapid unplanned disassembly" (RUD). Failed to complete the mission, yes--but progress was still achieved. According to the Systems Quality Engineering Manager, “The purpose for today’s main milestone is to clear the [launch] pad . . . Every milestone beyond that is a bonus. The further we fly, the more data we can collect.”
Elon congratulated the team.
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