Starlink's second mission required 17 adjustments during flight
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), NASA, and the National Transportation Safety Board have concluded their investigation into the explosion of SpaceX's Starship during a test flight on November 17th, 2023.
The explosion occurred during a planned vent of excess liquid oxygen propellant, which led to a leak in the aft section of the spacecraft. This leak resulted in combustion events and fires. Despite the setback, the spacecraft reached an altitude of approximately 150 km and a velocity of 24,000 km/h, making it the first Starship to reach outer space.
SpaceX, which led the investigation efforts, has implemented several hardware changes on upcoming Starship vehicles. These changes aim to improve leak reduction, fire protection, and refine operations associated with the propellant vent. However, no new information was provided about the cause of the leak or the fires that followed.
The Autonomous Flight Safety System detected a mission rule violation and activated the flight termination system, leading to the vehicle's breakup. The system functioned as intended, but no new information was provided about improvements made to the system or the flight termination system.
The FAA has detailed 17 technical corrections that need to be carried out on the SpaceX Starship rocket before its third test flight. These corrections span various aspects of the rocket's design and operations, but no new information was provided about the changes made to the Raptor engines' steering system, the Starlink test flight, or the removal of potential sources of flammability.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) also provided oversight and participated in the investigation. The most likely root cause for the booster explosion was filter blockage in the liquid oxygen supply, leading to a loss of inlet pressure in engine oxidizer turbopumps and one engine failure. SpaceX has implemented hardware changes inside future booster oxidiser tanks to improve propellant filtration capabilities and refine operations to increase reliability.
However, no new hardware changes or improvements were mentioned in relation to the Starship's liquid oxygen filtration system or oxidizer tanks. The water-cooled flame deflector and other pad upgrades performed as expected following Starship's first flight test. The fires led to a loss of communication between the spacecraft's flight computers, resulting in a commanded shut down of all six engines.
No new information was provided about the planned vent of excess liquid oxygen propellant or the impact it had on the spacecraft's performance. The FAA's investigation into the rocket explosion has now concluded, but the root cause of the booster explosion and the loss of communication between the spacecraft's flight computers remains unknown.
As SpaceX continues to develop and test its Starship, the company will undoubtedly face challenges and setbacks. However, with the implementation of corrective actions and continued collaboration with regulatory bodies, the future of space travel with Starship remains promising.
Read also:
- Electric-powered vessels take to the waters of Maine
- Fragrance imports from Kaş might have been among Europe's earliest bottles discovered.
- Tech mogul Erik Bergman, founder of Great.com, contributes a million dollars to clean water initiatives in Africa.
- Transformed landscape governing intelligent electrical systems
