The SpaceX spacecraft prototype caught fire again during testing.

The company SpaceX, owned by a billionaireIlona Mask, again problems. Scheduled for today tests of the experimental Starhopper spacecraft failed again. The prototype of the ship was supposed to rise to a height of 20 meters, but after the engine was started, a fire occurred. Recall that last week there was a similar incident, only then the fire was even more ambitious.

New failure SpaceX

As indicated by Space.com, during the tests at the SpaceX site in Boca Chica (South Texas, USA), the only Raptor engine installed and launched on the Raptor jet engine lasted only about three seconds. However, the unit could not rise into the air as planned. Instead, flames and smoke arose at the top of the ship, and then the automation turned off the engine.

To date, the experimental apparatusStarhopper completed only one successful trial. It was held in April of this year. Then the prototype was able to raise to a height of several centimeters from the ground.

See also: Ilon Mask showed the first collected Starship to travel to the Moon, Mars and around the Earth

During the last test, the company wantedperform the first free jump (without fixing the apparatus to the ground with chains, as last time), raising it to a height of about 20 meters. In February, the company also conducted a static ground test of the new Raptor engine, running on a mixture of liquid methane and liquid oxygen. According to the plans, the Raptor engine was supposed to work at a power of 80 percent.

Live test transmission was conducted on YouTube. Her host, SpaceX engineer Kate Theis, after an unsuccessful test, said that this was a design stage of development, so no one is immune from failures. The moment of ignition can be viewed on the video below:

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Last week the company also triedconduct a Starhopper test, running it to a height of 20 meters. However, shortly after starting the engine, the device engulfed a powerful flame. Later, the head of the company Ilon Mask said that the experimental prototype was not injured, and the cause of the fire was a fuel leak. By the way, this is not the first fuel leak in the SpaceX spacecraft. In the spring of this year, for a similar reason, the Crew Dragon spacecraft exploded, which the company intends to use for manned flights into Earth orbit.

What is Starhopper for?

Starhopper prototype should form the basisa huge starship starship, equipped with 6 Raptor engines. For him, they are also going to develop the first stage Super Heavy, which will be equipped with 35 Raptor engines. With the help of it, the device will be put into Earth orbit.

On this system, Ilona Mask has very largehope. According to an earlier statement from the SpaceX head, the Starship / Super Heavy combination will be completely reusable. That is, after starting and landing, the first stage and the ship itself can be reused. On board the starship will be able to fit up to 100 passengers.

See also: Ilon Musk: we can land a man on the moon in 2023

The company is going to use the starship shipfor delivery of people and goods to the moon and to mars. In addition, there is an idea to use the device as a transport in the conditions of the earth's atmosphere. In this case, according to the allegations, a flight to anywhere in the world will take about 30-60 minutes.

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