The FAA has launched an investigation into SpaceX's Starship explosion that occurred over Turks and Caicos during a recent test launch. Following stage separation, the Starship's upper stage ignited its six Raptor engines, and telemetry was lost after about eight and a half minutes of flight due to a fire in the aft section, resulting in a rapid disassembly of the craft. Elon Musk indicated a potential oxygen/fuel leak as a preliminary cause and mentioned plans to enhance fire suppression and venting capabilities in the Ship’s design. The FAA has mandated that SpaceX conducts a mishap investigation while also overseeing safety measures to protect air traffic and confirm any public property damage. Despite the incident, SpaceX remains focused on future launches and testing, indicating preparations for Starship’s eighth flight are underway, highlighting their commitment to rapid iterative development.

Source 🔗