As SpaceX launched the Starship last week, a touching moment unfolded as company’s founder and world’s richest man Elon Musk reconnected with his father Errol Musk. According to The Sun, the reunion took place at Boca Chica in Texas. Errol Musk attended the launch with his ex-wife Heide and granddaughter Cora. This is the first time in seven years that Elon Musk met his father, the outlet further said. Starship is the largest rocket ever built and its launch was one of the biggest for SpaceX.
The father and son have had a tense relationship over the years but they put aside their differences and met each other.
The last time they were together was in 2016 when Elon Musk and his brother Kimbal celebrated their father’s 70th birthday with him, The Sun said in the report.
It added that Errol Musk was surprised to receive the invite for the launch.
“The family cried. It was pretty emotional stuff. Errol was very happy to see Elon, and Elon appeared very happy to see his father,” Heidi told The Sun.
“They immediately sat down at Elon’s table next to one another and started talking as though no time had passed,” she further said.
Heidi said it was a “touching moment” and that the father and son spoke for a long time.
The launch was the first time the Starship spacecraft managed to go into space. However, it exploded above the Gulf of Mexico eight minutes after lift-off.
But a SpaceX announcer called it an “incredibly successful day”. “Even though we did have a… rapid unscheduled disassembly of both the Super Heavy Booster and the ship,” the announcer said.
Unlike the previous such attempt in April, the booster rocket separated successfully from the mega ship, but then blew up, followed shortly by the spaceship itself. Elon Musk hopes Starship will one day be used to colonise Mars.
Post a commentWhen the two stages of Starship are combined, the rocket stands 397 feet (121 metres) tall, beating the Statue of Liberty by a comfortable 90 feet.
