SpaceX has admitted that its latest Starship prototype self-destructed during a recent flight over the Caribbean, following an oxygen leak and sustained fires in its aft section. The incident occurred on January 16, when the rocket broke into pieces upon re-entry into the atmosphere over the British islands of Turks and Caicos.
The cause of the failure was attributed to a harmonic response that led to increased stress on the propulsion system, resulting in propellant leaks and fires. Despite this setback, SpaceX is working to improve its design and expects to launch its next flight, dubbed Flight 8, as soon as February 28.
Following the incident, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) launched an investigation into any reports of property damage or environmental impact. However, SpaceX claims that it did not expect significant impacts on marine species or water quality and that the debris fell within a designated response area.
The company has vowed to learn from the experience and apply lessons to future vehicles, with Elon Musk expressing his determination to send humans to Mars as soon as next year. With a new flight just weeks away, SpaceX is set to face another critical test in its quest to make Starship capable of rapid reuse.
Source: https://futurism.com/spacex-fires-starship