Elon Musk reveals why Starship exploded minutes after launch
SpaceX has revealed the cause behind the dramatic explosion of the Starship rocket during its eighth test flight from Starbase, Texas, on March 6, 2025 as the company prepares for the next flight scheduled on May 27, 2025.The eighth test mission, which began with a flawless liftoff and booster recovery, ended in a fiery spectacle over the Atlantic, marking the second consecutive Starship failure this year.advertisementThe test flight saw all 33 Raptor engines on the Super Heavy booster ignite successfully, with the booster completing a full ascent burn and executing a precise return and landing at the launch site.
However, SpaceX revealed that the trouble began with the upper stage, known as Starship, minutes into its journey to space.According to SpaceX's post-flight investigation, a 'flash' was observed near one of the central Raptor engines on the upper stage about five and a half minutes after separation. This was followed by a sudden 'energetic event' that led to the loss of that engine.Almost immediately, the remaining two center Raptor engines and one of the vacuum-optimized engines shut down, causing the vehicle to lose control and begin tumbling uncontrollably.Telemetry was lost about nine and a half minutes into the flight, after which Starship broke apart as it re-entered the atmosphere. The company's automated flight termination system was triggered upon loss of communication, ensuring the vehicle's safe breakup over a designated debris area.advertisementSpaceX's investigation traced the root cause to a hardware failure in one of the upper stage's center Raptor engines, which resulted in unintended mixing and ignition of propellants.This hardware malfunction led to the catastrophic shutdown of multiple engines and ultimate loss of vehicle control.To prevent future incidents, SpaceX is introducing additional insulation for engine igniters, a new nitrogen purge system, improvements to the propellant drain system, and upgrades with the upcoming Raptor 3 engine.The company emphasised that while setbacks are part of developing a fully reusable rocket system, each test provides invaluable data for improving reliability and safety as SpaceX pursues its goal of enabling human missions to Mars.Must Watch
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