This explosion of the Starship marks a complete failure of the US moon landing plan!

On June 18, 2025, the sky over Texas was lit up with fire as SpaceX's "Starship" exploded into pieces again. This is not a science fiction movie, but a serious blow to the American dream of returning to the moon. Continuous failures have not only burned rockets but also extinguished the hope of the "Artemis" program. Will this explosion become the last straw that makes the US return to the moon impossible?

The Starship project by SpaceX has already had several incidents in 2025. The test flights in January and March at the beginning of the year ended in explosions. The ninth test flight in late May finally reached orbit, but it disintegrated in the atmosphere due to a failure in attitude control. By June 18, the tenth test flight was even worse, when a nitrogen pressure vessel ruptured during testing, directly igniting the fuel and destroying the upper part of the Starship. These series of accidents have cast a big doubt on SpaceX's technical capabilities.

The "Artemis" program is a slogan the United States launched in 2019, aiming to return to the moon by 2024 and build a long-term base to pave the way for future missions to Mars. However, reality is harsh: technical challenges combined with insufficient funding have pushed the moon landing date from 2024 to mid-2027. The Starship was originally the core of "Artemis III," and NASA awarded SpaceX a $4 billion contract to develop a manned landing system. But the recent explosions in 2025 have made this goal seem like an illusion.

In May 2025, they proposed a budget for fiscal year 2026, which would cut NASA's funds from $24.8 billion to $18.8 billion, a reduction of a quarter. This not only threatens the Artemis program, but also could lead to the cancellation of subsequent developments of the Space Launch System (SLS) and the Orion spacecraft. SLS costs $4 billion per launch, which is too expensive, and cutting it seems reasonable. However, if the Starship remains unreliable, NASA would be left with no real resources. Domestic economic pressure is high, and there is intense debate in Congress, with some even calling it an "unprecedented attack on NASA."

SpaceX does have a "rapid iteration" approach. When developing the Falcon 9, they also had several explosions, but eventually, it became the most reliable rocket in the world. They are now analyzing the cause of the accident around the clock and hoping to fly again as soon as possible. However, the Starship has many tasks to accomplish: recovery of the launch pad, in-orbit refueling, and unmanned lunar landing. Each step is like walking on a tightrope. Can it be completed before 2027? Time is not on their side, and NASA cannot wait forever. Some people have suggested cooperating with Blue Origin and using their "Blue Moon" lander, but this would require adjusting the plan again, and the schedule would have to be delayed once more.

Globally, China has not been idle in this area. Their Chang'e series missions have been progressing steadily. In 2020, they successfully brought back lunar samples, and in 2025, they plan to collect samples from the far side of the moon. According to their pace, they can achieve a manned moon landing before 2030. China's space program follows a steady and solid path, which contrasts sharply with the high-risk approach of the United States.

This explosion has exposed the fragility of the US moon landing plan. Technologically, the Starship is not yet mature enough to take on major responsibilities; politically, the budget cuts have left NASA struggling; internationally, competitors are closing in, and the US advantage is shrinking. Whether SpaceX's "rapid iteration" can save the situation remains uncertain.

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1836151621440520/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author.