Summary

  • SpaceX was preparing Ship 36 for a static fire test in preparation for the Starship’s 10th flight test when the incident occurred.
  • The test never started, as the explosion happened while the propellant was being loaded; a 30-minute process.
  • The explosion was audible and flames were visible up to two hours after the incident, according to YouTube feeds, and fire departments attended the scene.
  • The cause of the explosion and the damage caused are unknown.
  • This is the fourth such incident this year, following explosions during the seventh, eighth and ninth Starship flight tests.
  • SpaceX is yet to confirm whether the incident was a hardware or human error, but no one was injured.
  • The company recently received approval to build and launch an additional 7,000 Starlink satellites.

By Richard Lawler

Original Article