Another Setback for SpaceX: Starship Explodes During Eighth Test Flight
In a dramatic turn of events, SpaceX’s Starship spacecraft, the upper stage of the world’s most powerful launch system, met a fiery end during its eighth test flight. The explosion not only disrupted air traffic but also marked the second consecutive failure for the vehicle in 2023.
The Launch and Initial Success
The uncrewed Starship mission took off at 5:30 p.m. CT from SpaceX’s Starbase facility in South Texas. Riding atop a 232-foot-tall Super Heavy rocket booster, the spacecraft initially seemed to be on track. After about 2 ½ minutes, the Super Heavy booster separated successfully from the Starship’s upper stage, setting up for a landing within the “chopstick” arms of “Mechazilla,” SpaceX’s launch tower near Brownsville, Texas. This marked the third successful execution of the chopsticks booster catch for SpaceX.
The Unexpected Turn
However, less than 10 minutes into the flight, the Starship began to experience issues. Several of the vehicle’s engines visibly cut out during the livestream, and the ship started to tumble before SpaceX lost contact with it. Dan Huot, SpaceX’s communications manager, explained on the livestream, “Once you lose enough of those center engines, you’re going to lose attitude control. And so we did see the ship start to go into a spin, and at this point, we have lost contact with the ship.”
The Aftermath and FAA Response
The explosion was visible from parts of Florida and over the Caribbean, according to reports shared with CNN. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) took immediate action, halting flights into Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Palm Beach, and Orlando airports due to “falling space debris.” The FAA also temporarily kept flights from departing from Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport and Miami International Airport, causing delays of up to 45 minutes.
Judy Burgett captured footage from Marathon, Florida, showing Starship’s fireball gradually breaking apart as it flew eastward. SpaceX’s Dan Huot emphasized the safety measures in place, stating, “We’ve got a lot of measures in place, like debris response areas, where we coordinate very closely with air traffic control. We have a lot of measures put in place before we ever launch a rocket to make sure that we’re keeping the public safe.”
SpaceX’s Statement and Investigation
Several hours after the flight, SpaceX shared an update on the incident. According to their statement, “Prior to the end of the ascent burn, an energetic event in the aft portion of Starship resulted in the loss of several Raptor engines. This in turn led to a loss of attitude control and ultimately a loss of communications with Starship. Final contact with Starship came approximately 9 minutes and 30 seconds after liftoff.”
The FAA is now requiring SpaceX to perform a mishap investigation into the loss of the Starship vehicle. The investigation aims to enhance public safety, determine the root cause of the event, and identify corrective actions to avoid future incidents. The FAA will be involved in every step of the SpaceX-led mishap investigation process and must approve SpaceX’s final report.
Comparison with Previous Incidents
Thursday’s launch was SpaceX’s second attempt at getting Flight 8 off the ground, following a waved-off attempt on Monday due to “too many question marks,” as stated by SpaceX CEO Elon Musk. This incident comes seven weeks after an explosive mishap during Starship’s seventh test flight, which rained debris over the islands of Turks and Caicos.
The FAA, which licenses commercial rocket launches, is still overseeing the investigation into the Flight 7 incident. However, the agency gave SpaceX the green light on February 28 to launch Flight 8, noting that the probe into the Flight 7 mishap was ongoing but that SpaceX had met all safety, environmental, and other licensing requirements for the suborbital test flight.
SpaceX’s Iterative Development Philosophy
SpaceX has long embraced a philosophy of “rapid iterative development,” aiming to rapidly build Starship prototypes and test them on the launchpad, even if it means accepting the risk of explosions. The difference between the January Flight 7 and Thursday’s Flight 8 lies in where and how the debris fell, raising questions about the FAA’s decision to allow the launch before completing the investigation into the previous mishap.
Upgrades and Future Plans
Thursday’s flight test was intended to identify weak points in the Starship design. Engineers removed a large number of heat shield tiles to test vulnerable areas across the spacecraft. The failed test flight in January prompted SpaceX to make other upgrades, including new vents and a “purge system” designed to prevent fires.
SpaceX also made changes to the lines that feed fuel to some of Starship’s engines and tweaked propellant temperatures based on lessons learned from the Flight 7 mishap. The Super Heavy booster received upgrades, including a more powerful flight computer. About 17 ½ minutes after lifting off, Starship was planning to attempt to deploy a batch of mock Starlink satellites for the first time, but the incident occurred before this objective could be tested.
Conclusion and Broader Implications
The explosion of SpaceX’s Starship during its eighth test flight has significant implications for the company’s ambitious plans to revolutionize space travel. As SpaceX continues to push the boundaries of rocket technology, the safety concerns and regulatory challenges highlighted by this incident will likely shape the future of the Starship program.
The FAA’s involvement in the mishap investigation underscores the importance of public safety in the rapidly evolving space industry. As SpaceX works to identify the root cause of the explosion and implement corrective actions, the company’s commitment to rapid iterative development will be put to the test.
For more updates on SpaceX’s Starship program and other space-related news, stay tuned to CNN. We encourage our readers to join the conversation and share their thoughts on the future of space exploration.
This report was compiled using information from www.cnn.com.
