Starship 36, one of SpaceX's giant spacecraft with which Elon Musk aspires, among other things, to "conquer" Mars, exploded late Wednesday evening during a routine test at the company's center in Starbase, Texas.
The incident, which occurred shortly before a planned static test, caused the destruction of the spacecraft and possibly damage to surrounding infrastructure, without fortunately causing injuries.
On Wednesday evening, shortly before 11 p.m., SpaceX was in the final stages of a static test that is a preparatory phase for the 10th Starship flight, when a powerful explosion occurred at the Massey test site.
According to analysts, the explosion occurred about 30 minutes after propellant loading began and before the static test, in which the engines are ignited without the vehicle starting, was activated.
The company announced that a safety zone had been established around the scene and assured that all personnel were safe. " There are no risks to residents of the surrounding areas ," SpaceX said, urging citizens to stay away while safety procedures are ongoing.
Two hours after the explosion, the fire at the site remained active. NASA Spaceflight cameras transmitted live images of the flames and the mobilization of firefighting forces.
About 90 minutes after the explosion, SpaceX issued an official statement via the 'X' platform.
" On Wednesday, June 18, at approximately 11:00 p.m., Starship, preparing for its 10th test flight, experienced a serious anomaly while on the test bed at Starbase. A safety zone was established and all personnel are safe. Our team is working to safely manage the site, in coordination with local authorities. "
The cause of the explosion and the extent of the damage have not yet been clarified, but the incident follows previous explosions during Starship's 7th, 8th and 9th test flights in 2024, reinforcing concerns about the overall reliability of the program.
The test involved the V2 Starship spacecraft, which Elon Musk says has a larger fuel capacity, reduced mass, and increased reliability. At the same time, SpaceX has announced that it is preparing the third version, the V3. (A2 Televizion)
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