After Repeated Explosions, New Test For Musk's Megarocket
The biggest and most powerful launch vehicle in history is planned to return Americans to the Moon -- and is central to the dreams of colonizing Mars envisioned by Musk, the world's richest person.
But repeated explosions that sent debris raining down over Caribbean islands and disrupted flights have piled pressure onto SpaceX to pull off a smoother trial run.
The rocket's 10th test flight is set to launch as soon as August 24 from the company's Starbase facility in Texas, SpaceX said on its website.
During two test flights earlier this year, the rocket's upper stage -- which is the spacecraft intended to carry crew and cargo -- erupted in fiery cascades not long after launch.
Starship managed to make it to space during the last test in late May, however it then blew up when a fuel leak caused it to lose control.
The rocket's propulsion system was also supposed to execute a planned splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico -- but it disintegrated before reaching the water.
Standing 403 feet (123 meters) tall, the black-and-white behemoth is designed to eventually be fully reusable and launch at relatively low cost.
SpaceX has been betting that its "fail fast, learn fast" ethos -- which helped it dominate commercial spaceflight -- will once again pay off.
But the latest string of setbacks, which also includes an explosion during a routine ground test in June, has raised serious questions about Starship's progress.
Musk -- who is known for making extremely ambitious proposals -- maintains that the rocket will launch its first uncrewed missions to Mars next year.
SpaceX has also been sharply criticized over the impact its launches have on people and the environment near where its rockets blast off.
In June, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum threatened to sue SpaceX over falling debris and contamination from its launches.
More Starship tests are expected in the coming months, however, after the US aviation regulator approved the number of its annual launches increasing from five to 25. The Starship rocket pictured before exploding during a test flight in late May, 2025 AFP
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Int'l Business Times
a day ago
- Int'l Business Times
After Repeated Explosions, New Test For Musk's Megarocket
Elon Musk's SpaceX announced Friday that its Starship megarocket is scheduled to blast off on a new test flight next weekend after recent attempts have ended in fiery explosions. The biggest and most powerful launch vehicle in history is planned to return Americans to the Moon -- and is central to the dreams of colonizing Mars envisioned by Musk, the world's richest person. But repeated explosions that sent debris raining down over Caribbean islands and disrupted flights have piled pressure onto SpaceX to pull off a smoother trial run. The rocket's 10th test flight is set to launch as soon as August 24 from the company's Starbase facility in Texas, SpaceX said on its website. During two test flights earlier this year, the rocket's upper stage -- which is the spacecraft intended to carry crew and cargo -- erupted in fiery cascades not long after launch. Starship managed to make it to space during the last test in late May, however it then blew up when a fuel leak caused it to lose control. The rocket's propulsion system was also supposed to execute a planned splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico -- but it disintegrated before reaching the water. Standing 403 feet (123 meters) tall, the black-and-white behemoth is designed to eventually be fully reusable and launch at relatively low cost. SpaceX has been betting that its "fail fast, learn fast" ethos -- which helped it dominate commercial spaceflight -- will once again pay off. But the latest string of setbacks, which also includes an explosion during a routine ground test in June, has raised serious questions about Starship's progress. Musk -- who is known for making extremely ambitious proposals -- maintains that the rocket will launch its first uncrewed missions to Mars next year. SpaceX has also been sharply criticized over the impact its launches have on people and the environment near where its rockets blast off. In June, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum threatened to sue SpaceX over falling debris and contamination from its launches. More Starship tests are expected in the coming months, however, after the US aviation regulator approved the number of its annual launches increasing from five to 25. The Starship rocket pictured before exploding during a test flight in late May, 2025 AFP
DW
a day ago
- DW
World's first humanoid robot games begin in China – DW – 08/15/2025
More or less human-like robots played soccer, table tennis, ran, danced and, often, fell over at the kickoff of the first humanoid robot games in China. More than 500 humanoid robots in 280 teams from 16 countries are competing in 26 events ranging from soccer and boxing to sorting medicine and cleaning up at the first World Humanoid Robot Games. Three days of competitions began in Beijing, China, on Thursday evening as the country steps up efforts to develop robots powered by artificial intelligence. "We come here to play and to win. But we are also interested in research," said Max Polter, a member of the HTWK Robots football team from Germany, affiliated with Leipzig University of Applied Sciences, told Reuters news agency. "You can test a lot of interesting, new and exciting approaches in this contest. If we try something and it doesn't work, we lose the game," Polter said. "That's sad, but it is better than investing a lot of money into a product that fails." The robots crashed into each other and toppled over repeatedly during football matches, while another fell over mid-sprint during running events. The AFP news agency reported that one of the fastest robots finished a 1,500-meter race in 6:29:37 — well off the current human record of 3:26:00. At the kung fu competition, a child-sized robot resembling one from the popular Transformer series tried a complicated move only to fall on its face and spin on the floor in an attempt to get back up. The crowd, however, cheered happily. Chinese officials made humanoids the "center of their national strategy," the International Federation of Robotics (IFR) wrote in a paper published Thursday. "The government wants to showcase its competence and global competitiveness in this field of technology," it added. In March, China announced plans for a one-trillion-yuan fund (€119 billion, $139 billion) to support technology startups, including those in robotics and AI. Joost Weerheim, part of the Dutch five-a-side robot football team, told AFP he was impressed by the skill of China's teams. "I think right now if they are not already the world leader, they are very, very quickly becoming it," he said. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Tickets to the humanoid games at Beijing's National Speed Skating Oval, built for the 2022 Winter Olympics, range from 180 yuan (about €22, $25) to 580 yuan (about €69, $80). China has staged several robotics events in recent months, including what it called the world'sfirst humanoid robot marathon, a robot conference and the opening of retail stores dedicated to humanoid robots. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
Int'l Business Times
2 days ago
- Int'l Business Times
World's First Humanoid Robot Games Begin In China
The world's first-ever humanoid robot games began Friday in Beijing, with over 500 androids alternating between jerky tumbles and glimpses of real power as they compete in events from the 100-metre hurdles to kung fu. Hundreds of robotics teams from 16 countries are going for gold at the Chinese capital's National Speed Skating Oval, built for the 2022 Winter Olympics. The games include traditional sports like athletics and basketball, as well as practical tasks such as medicine categorisation and cleaning. "I believe in the next 10 years or so, robots will be basically at the same level as humans," enthusiastic 18-year-old spectator Chen Ruiyuan told AFP. Human athletes might not be quaking in their boots just yet. At one of the first events on Friday morning, five-aside football, 10 robots the size of seven-year-olds shuffled around the pitch, often getting stuck in a scrum or falling over en masse. However, in a 1500-metre race, domestic champion Unitree's humanoids stomped along the track at an impressive clip, easily outpacing their rivals. The fastest robot AFP witnessed finished in 6:29:37, a far cry from the human men's world record of 3:26:00. One mechanical racer barrelled straight into a human operator. The robot remained standing, while the human was knocked flat, though did not appear to be injured. Robot competitions have been held for decades, but the 2025 World Humanoid Robot Games is the first to focus specifically on robots that resemble human bodies, organisers said. The Chinese government has poured support into robotics hoping to lead the industry. Beijing has put humanoids in the "centre of their national strategy", the International Federation of Robotics wrote in a paper on Thursday. "The government wants to showcase its competence and global competitiveness in this field of technology," it added. Authorities are working to raise awareness of the sector across society. Cui Han, accompanying her 10-year-old, told AFP that her son's school had organised and paid for the trip to the Games. "I hope it will encourage him to learn more about these new technologies," she said. In March, China announced plans for a one-trillion-yuan fund to support technology startups, including those in robotics and AI. The country is already the world's largest market for industrial robots, official statistics show, and in April, Beijing held what organisers dubbed the world's first humanoid robot half-marathon. Chen, the spectator, told AFP he was about to begin studying automation at university. "Coming here can cultivate my passion for this field," he said. "My favourite is the boxing, because... it requires a lot of agility and I can really see how the robots have improved from before." Meanwhile, at the kung fu competition area, a pint-sized robot resembling one from the popular Transformer series attempted to execute a move, but fell flat on its front. It spun around on the floor as it struggled to get back up, the crowd happily cheering. Robots compete in a 5x5 football match during the World Humanoid Robot Games. Falling over was a frequent occurrence AFP A robot competes in the 1500M race on Friday AFP A referee raises the hand of the robot winner after a combat competition AFP
