Photo: SpaceX | Edited
SpaceX conducted the first orbital flight test with the Starship and Super Heavy launch system on April 20. Although the launch was successful, the Starship exploded three minutes into the flight. The mishap prompted the FAA to launch an investigation, effectively grounding the Starship program until it finds it doesn't affect public safety.
On April 14, SpaceX got the clearance to proceed with its first orbital flight test with the Starship and Super Heavy launch system, culminating years of flight tests, static tests, and nail-biting moments. The launch was scheduled for April 18 but was scrubbed after discovering a pressure valve problem in the Starship Booster's liquid oxygen feed lines. Conveniently, the launch was rescheduled for 4/20, a number combination that is dear to Elon Musk and his fans.
The test flight's objectives were for the Starship to achieve an altitude of at least 90 miles (150 km) and make a full around-the-world tour before splashing down off the coast of Hawaii. The lift-off went uneventful, but three and a half minutes into the flight, when the stage separation was supposed to occur, the Starship exploded about 25 miles (40 km) above its launch site. Depending on whom you want to listen to, the Starship's short flight was either a monumental failure or a resounding success.
Musk revealed in a Twitter Spaces chat on April 29 that the outcome was pretty much in line with the expectations, which were to get clear of the launchpad. As people pointed out, this was supposed to be a test flight, crucial for gathering data and advancing the rocket's development. Musk revealed that the problems detected with the Booster 7 allowed SpaceX to improve Booster 9, which will attempt the next Starship launch into orbit.
That might not happen as fast as Musk wants, though. In addition to the in-flight explosion, the Starship launch destroyed the launchpad, sending debris in all directions. The Boca Chica launch site doesn't have a deluge system to suppress shockwaves and flames. Such systems rely on a "flame trench" to channel rocket exhaust and water or foam to keep things from flying uncontrollably into the air.
Moments after the launch, residents of the nearby town of Port Isabel reported broken windows and ash-like particles covering their homes. The situation could've been much worse because the concrete chunks were thrown into the ocean and risked hitting the fuel storage tanks adjacent to the launchpad. There were also concerns that residual propellant, which is highly toxic, could rain down, causing environmental damage.
That's why the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) launched a mishap investigation of the Starship/Super Heavy test mission. According to the agency, a return to flight will only be allowed after the FAA determines that "any system, process, or procedure related to the mishap does not affect public safety." This means the Starship program at Boca Chica is effectively grounded until FAA can determine if future flights are safe for people and the environment.
The investigation will likely result in mandatory actions that SpaceX must comply with to keep its license and resume testing. These might include installing a deluge system, as Elon Musk admitted in an April 21 tweet that a decision to proceed without it was a mistake. He also said that SpaceX can be ready to launch again in "1 to 2 months." The timeframe can be too optimistic, considering how long it takes for the FAA investigation to conclude and the corrective actions to be implemented. In the worst-case scenario, the FAA might remove SpaceX's license at Boca Chica, forcing Musk to relocate all testing to Cape Canaveral.
The test flight's objectives were for the Starship to achieve an altitude of at least 90 miles (150 km) and make a full around-the-world tour before splashing down off the coast of Hawaii. The lift-off went uneventful, but three and a half minutes into the flight, when the stage separation was supposed to occur, the Starship exploded about 25 miles (40 km) above its launch site. Depending on whom you want to listen to, the Starship's short flight was either a monumental failure or a resounding success.
Musk revealed in a Twitter Spaces chat on April 29 that the outcome was pretty much in line with the expectations, which were to get clear of the launchpad. As people pointed out, this was supposed to be a test flight, crucial for gathering data and advancing the rocket's development. Musk revealed that the problems detected with the Booster 7 allowed SpaceX to improve Booster 9, which will attempt the next Starship launch into orbit.
That might not happen as fast as Musk wants, though. In addition to the in-flight explosion, the Starship launch destroyed the launchpad, sending debris in all directions. The Boca Chica launch site doesn't have a deluge system to suppress shockwaves and flames. Such systems rely on a "flame trench" to channel rocket exhaust and water or foam to keep things from flying uncontrollably into the air.
Moments after the launch, residents of the nearby town of Port Isabel reported broken windows and ash-like particles covering their homes. The situation could've been much worse because the concrete chunks were thrown into the ocean and risked hitting the fuel storage tanks adjacent to the launchpad. There were also concerns that residual propellant, which is highly toxic, could rain down, causing environmental damage.
That's why the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) launched a mishap investigation of the Starship/Super Heavy test mission. According to the agency, a return to flight will only be allowed after the FAA determines that "any system, process, or procedure related to the mishap does not affect public safety." This means the Starship program at Boca Chica is effectively grounded until FAA can determine if future flights are safe for people and the environment.
The investigation will likely result in mandatory actions that SpaceX must comply with to keep its license and resume testing. These might include installing a deluge system, as Elon Musk admitted in an April 21 tweet that a decision to proceed without it was a mistake. He also said that SpaceX can be ready to launch again in "1 to 2 months." The timeframe can be too optimistic, considering how long it takes for the FAA investigation to conclude and the corrective actions to be implemented. In the worst-case scenario, the FAA might remove SpaceX's license at Boca Chica, forcing Musk to relocate all testing to Cape Canaveral.
3 months ago, we started building a massive water-cooled, steel plate to go under the launch mount.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 21, 2023
Wasn’t ready in time & we wrongly thought, based on static fire data, that Fondag would make it through 1 launch.
Looks like we can be ready to launch again in 1 to 2 months.
Google News