On March 6, SpaceX lost their second rocket this year. The test flight the rocket was involved in was fine up until it was 8 minutes into ascent which is also around the same time the previous launch in January failed as well. Multiple engines were shut off and caused the rocket to lose control before ever making it to space. This all took place near Brownsville, Texas at SpaceX’s Starbase site.
Airports in Florida announced temporary ground stops because of the risk of space debris. In addition, the Federal Aviation Administration would also announce a “Debris Response Area.” This would restrict planes from entering the area where debris was expected to fall. Fortunately, the debris “doesn’t contain any toxic materials” according to SpaceX.
SpaceX reported that the cause of the accident was most likely leaking propellant that sparked “sustained fires” in a section of the rocket referred to as the “attic.” It’s located in between the liquid oxygen tank and the rear heat shield of the rocket. Even though it’s too late to prevent the crash, SpaceX had since upgraded the upper stage to prevent fires.
After rigorous testing, the Starship is now on NASA’s list for future launches.
