The US Federal Aviation Administration on Thursday opened an investigation into the explosion of the SpaceX starship over the Turks and Caicos. The explosion occurred during the latest test launch of the craft, which SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has described as a key step toward a human journey to Mars.
“Following stage separation, the Starship's upper stage successfully ignited all six Raptor engines and demonstrated its progress into space,” SpaceX said in a statement. “Telemetry with the vehicle was lost after eight and a half minutes of flight before the burnout. Initial reports indicated that the fire on the deck quickly led to an emergency schedule.
As of April 2023, SpaceX has tested the Super Heavy Booster and Starship spacecraft's capabilities for launch and future use. After the explosion, Musk explained the issue with X (formerly Twitter), analyzing what went wrong based on preliminary information.
“The initial indication is that we have an oxygen/fuel leak in the space above the ship's engine firewall, which is enough to pressurize the vent,” Musk said. “In addition to obviously checking for leaks, we're going to add fire suppression to that volume and maybe add a vent. There is no indication yet of pushing the next launch next month.
Meanwhile, SpaceX has successfully returned the Super Heavy Booster using a launch tower nicknamed “Mekazilla”. Despite this success, the FAA ordered SpaceX to report the Starship crash.
“The FAA requires SpaceX to conduct a misdiagnosis of the missing Starship vehicle during launch operations on January 16,” the FAA said in a statement. “There are no reports of damage to the public, and the FAA is working with SpaceX and the relevant authorities to verify reports of damage to public property in the Turks and Caicos.”
In a message to X on Friday, the FAA said it would oversee SpaceX's investigation into the cause of the explosion and divert air traffic from the area.
“The FAA ensures that launches and returns safely and efficiently join our national airspace,” the agency said. “In the event of a crash, the FAA can quickly identify affected airspace and take steps to protect aircraft from debris.”
When contacted by Decrypt, the FAA declined to comment on the investigation.
Undeterred by the loss, SpaceX is gearing up for its next Starship launch.
“Starship's eighth flight test vessel and booster have been built, are undergoing pre-launch testing and are preparing to fly,” he said.
Edited by Andrew Hayward.
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