FAA requiring mishap investigation after starship explosion
The FAA is requiring an investigation after a SpaceX Starship rocket exploded yesterday eight and a half minutes into the company’s seventh flight test of the upgraded vehicle.
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Dramatic images of debris streaking through the sky were captured from the ground.
The seventh flight test started on a high note with the capture of the rocket’s Super Heavy booster at its Starbase in Texas.
But Starship broke up before it could deliver a payload of dummy satellites and make a controlled splashdown in the Indian ocean.
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The FAA briefly slowed and diverted aircraft from around the flight test area.
The agency says it’s also working with SpaceX and appropriate authorities to confirm reports of public property damage on Turks and Caicos.
There have been no reports of injuries.
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Dr. Don Platt, Associate Professor of Space Systems at Florida Tech told us, “It sounds like there was a leak of oxygen. And obviously, if you have oxygen mixing with potentially maybe some vapors from the methane propellant as well, you can definitely build up an explosive situation. And so apparently that’s certainly what happened on this particular flight here.”
SpaceX has said, “Data review is already underway as we seek out a root cause. We will conduct a thorough investigation in coordination with the FAA, and implement corrective actions to make improvements on future Starship flight tests.”
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