SpaceX suffered another major setback this week after a prototype for the SpaceX craft Starship SN4 exploded before an engine test on Friday near Boca Chica, Texas. The explosion happened at 1:49 local time, which caused the craft to erupt in a massive fireball roughly one minute after a test was conducted on one of the Raptor rocket engine. It’s still not clear as to what caused the explosion, though it has caused quite the conversation online.
Boca Chica homeowner Celia Johnson told Business Insider, that she heard the explosions before they were shown on the YouTube channel LabPadre, which live-streams SpaceX activity. “I heard all of my windows rattle, and then I heard something hit the house on the roof, like a big thud,” Johnson explained. “It was a very loud boom. It’s left me feeling stressed and a little deafened.”
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Friday’s explosion comes just one day before SpaceX and NASA were set to launch the Falcon 9 rocket with the Crew Dragon spacecraft, which also marks the second attempt at the endeavor. The launch was originally slated for Wednesday afternoon, though it had to be delayed due to inclement weather. Even though the two projects aren’t directly related, the startling incident has left some to question Saturday’s manned launch to the International Space Station.
SpaceX was doing a “static fire” test on a prototype for their Starship rocket, which is under development as a vehicle for voyages to the Moon & Mars, and the prototype exploded. Important to note: this vehicle and test are unrelated to #CrewDragon, scheduled to launch tomorrow. https://t.co/2tk2BxIaQU
— Katie Mack (@AstroKatie) May 29, 2020
A Starship prototype just exploded in Boca Chica, Texas during static fire testing. SpaceX was granted an FAA license yesterday to conduct suborbital flights, not sure when those first test flights will happen. Video/live feed from @NASASpaceflight pic.twitter.com/dqnQv1lqBV
— Joey Roulette (@joroulette) May 29, 2020
I want everyone to understand this about the SpaceX and NASA partnership, the idea is to privatize the earnings (scientific discoveries) while socializing the losses (the cost of Elon Musk blowing up rockets over and over). https://t.co/5oPo6hoGyR
— Matt Read (@Matt_Read_NZ) May 29, 2020
No decision on weather right now for Saturday’s test flight of @SpaceX’s #CrewDragon spacecraft. Will reassess in the morning. #LaunchAmerica
— Jim Bridenstine (@JimBridenstine) May 29, 2020
I saw that spaceX thingy exploding and thought for a moment that if we did actually have another challenger explosion it wouldn’t crack the top 10 most weird and fucked up events of 2020
— dae 🙂 (@fgc_daedalus) May 29, 2020
Heard an explosion and our house shook. Turns out a #SpaceX prototype exploded near me during testing!
— TxC Bearika @ Waiting for KOFXV News (@BearikaKof) May 29, 2020
How much hate do you have in your soul to cheer on the explosion of the @SpaceX prototype? Maybe you don’t like @elonmusk, but a ton of other people worked hard for *years* to make this happen.
— Andrew Lockhart (@andrewlockhart) May 29, 2020
Oh yeah, and space travel may end up being key to the survival of our species.
RIP SN4
— Saifeddine ALOUI (@snetmonster) May 29, 2020
The explosion was helarious
I was amazed and sad at the same time!@elonmusk @SpaceX Keep on going, the way to the top is rocky. But when you’ll succeed and I think you will, this all will seem woth it.
It is only a failure if you learn nothing from it.
Keep us dreaming.
RIP SN4
— Saifeddine ALOUI (@snetmonster) May 29, 2020
The explosion was helarious
I was amazed and sad at the same time!@elonmusk @SpaceX Keep on going, the way to the top is rocky. But when you’ll succeed and I think you will, this all will seem woth it.
It is only a failure if you learn nothing from it.
Keep us dreaming.
People are going to see the SpaceX explosion of the experiment vehicle Starship and think it’s somehow related to what’s being used for the launch tomorrow. Callin it.
— Mike Elias (@MikeElias361) May 29, 2020
SpaceX would like to have a discussion with this suspected “bird” that was in the frame just before the explosion… pic.twitter.com/NJJnyBTFcO
— Brian Wohlgemuth (@bwohlgemuth) May 29, 2020
And they are still pumping methane into the atmosphere, because the flare stack is “turned off”. This may not be the last explosion of the day.#spacex $tslaq pic.twitter.com/TAqRVTce94
— FSD in 6 months (@FSD_in_6m) May 29, 2020
