On Wednesday, June 18, as SpaceX was preparing to execute a six-engine ignition test on the StarshipThe incident took place at the Starbase facility in Texas.
What caused Starship to explode during the test?
The vehicle had passed a single-engine static fire test days earlier. During the new test sequence, which involved the loading of cryogenic propellant prior to a more complex ignition, a burst occurred that ignited fires around the structure. The affected area was evacuated prior to the operation and no injuries were reported.
According to initial analysis by SpaceX engineers, the likely cause of the incident is a failure of a pressurized COPV-type canister, which stores nitrogen gas at the top of the rocket. Although this technology is not used on Falcon launchers, the technical team is conducting a detailed data review to confirm the hypothesis.
Local, state and federal authorities are working with SpaceX to assess the environmental and structural effects of the explosion. The area remains cordoned off while safety efforts continue. Meanwhile, the company has thanked the Rio Grande Valley communities for their support and the quick response of emergency responders.
Technical delays threaten Artemis program deadlines
This event represents another challenge in the Starship development campaign, whose tenth test flight has been interrupted. Although SpaceX is operating multiple prototypes in parallel, the company will need to reconfigure its plans to resume the test schedule as soon as possible. For now, it is unknown whether the next vehicle in line, Ship 37, will be able to assume the role of immediate reliever.
The Starship system system is key to the Artemis program program, since its HLS version is scheduled to carry astronauts to the lunar module. The pressure to meet the 2027 lunar landing schedule intensifies with each new delay.
In the meantime, the team continues to bet on its iterative design strategy, learning from failures to strengthen its aerospace architecture.
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Source and photo: SpaceX