FAA investigating Starship explosion

A view of SpaceX Starship from Texas State Highway 48 as the rocket launches from Boca Chica/Starbase April 20, 2023, exploding soon after liftoff. (Miguel Roberts/The Brownsville Herald)
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The Federal Aviation Administration said it is investigating the explosion over the Gulf of Mexico of SpaceX’s uncrewed Starship-Super Heavy following the launch from Boca Chica/Starbase on April 20.

SpaceX can’t launch any more Starships until the investigation is complete, the FAA said.

“An anomaly occurred during the ascent and prior to stage separation resulting in a loss of the vehicle,” the FAA said in a statement. “No injuries or public property damage have been reported. The FAA will oversee the mishap investigation of the Starship/Super Heavy test mission.”

SpaceX was attempting the first orbital flight of Starship-Super Heavy.

The mission called for first stage (Super Heavy) to separate from the second stage (Starship) and crash into the Gulf of Mexico, while Starship was to continue through the Straits of Florida and orbit Earth once before crashing into the Navy’s Pacific Missile Range Facility roughly 60 miles north of Kauai, Hawaii.

“A return to flight of the Starship/Super Heavy vehicle is based on the FAA determining that any system, process, or procedure related to the mishap does not affect public safety. This is standard practice for all mishap investigations,” said the agency. “The FAA is responsible for protecting the public during commercial space transportation launch and reentry operations.”

Any type of mishap involving a private or commercial aircraft (experimental spacecraft included) automatically triggers an FAA investigation.

“An anomaly occurred during the ascent and prior to stage separation resulting in a loss of the vehicle,” the FAA said in a statement. “No injuries or public property damage have been reported. The FAA will oversee the mishap investigation of the Starship/Super Heavy test mission.”

SpaceX said it activated the rocket’s onboard Flight Termination System three minutes and 59 seconds into the flight after the vehicle veered off its intended trajectory and began to lose altitude due to the loss of multiple engines. The Super Heavy booster is fitted with 33 liquid-methane and liquid-oxygen propelled engines together capable of producing more than 16 million pounds of thrust.

“The flight termination system was commanded on both the booster and the ship,” SpaceX said. “As is standard procedure, the pad and surrounding area was cleared well in advance of the test.”


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