First booster of the developed SpaceX rocket fails during test

SadaNews - Observers reported that the massive first-stage booster of a developed version of the "Starship" rocket produced by "SpaceX" failed a test on Friday in Texas, which may complicate the company's efforts to demonstrate the rocket's ability to land on the Moon for NASA.

Observers recorded the test failure on video, according to the Reuters news agency.

"SpaceX," owned by billionaire Elon Musk, had rolled out the stainless steel "Super Heavy" booster to the test pad on Thursday at the company's launch site in Starbase, stating its intention to test redesigned propellant systems and the structural strength of the booster.

During the test on the pad at around 4 a.m. Central Time, a live video feed from the "Lab Padre" group, which monitors "SpaceX," showed the booster suddenly bending and releasing a cloud of gas from its sides, indicating a potential explosion under pressure that led to an external blast.

"SpaceX" acknowledged in a statement what it called a "deviation during the gas system pressure test," and reported that there were no injuries. It said the incident occurred prior to the structural strength test of the booster.

The company added: "Teams need time to investigate before we can be confident in the cause."