Late Wednesday night around 11 PM CT, SpaceX experienced a major explosion during a static fire test of its Starship Ship 36 at the Massey’s Testing Center in Starbase, Texas. The incident occurred while loading cryogenic propellant for a six-engine static fire, destroying the vehicle and causing fires on-site. SpaceX confirmed no injuries and maintained a safety perimeter around the area. Preliminary analysis points to a possible failure in a pressurized nitrogen tank (COPV) in the nosecone. This follows previous Starship test explosions earlier this year. SpaceX is continuing to improve designs with upcoming V3 models aimed at more frequent launches.
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