A qualification test of a Raptor 2 locomotive has resulted in a striking explosion at SpaceX ’s McGregor quickness . The ship’s company has yet to comment on the incident , but it ’s unlikely to affect the upcoming 4th test launching of the Starship megarocket .
Here is the full clip of the test that terminate in a RUD .
( television and sound synced)See what ’s next step are ahead : https://t.co / s5km3WuOOXhttps://t.co / lKDvoOXoz2pic.twitter.com / rNgQUnz5LV
Video captured by NASASpaceflight shows the fireball, which occurred on 26 February 2025.Gif: NASASpaceflight/X/Gizmodo
— carson_phillips ( @Cphillips_03)May 23 , 2024
SpaceX has not yet gloss on the incident , and it ’s unclear if the flak have any damage to the raptorial bird engine or the examination sales booth . The potential gasses involve in the explosion are methane and oxygen . SpaceX ’s Raptor railway locomotive uses liquid methane ( CH4 ) as its fuel and liquified O ( LOX ) as its oxidizer . If there was a outflow or combustion anomaly , these gasses could mix and fire up , resulting in a form of fuel - air bomb calorimeter that created the blow seen on Thursday . That something might have set off on the test stand as a consequence of the human dynamo is another possibility , but we ’ll have to wait for SpaceX to provide more contingent .
Although the event was striking , anomalies during qualification trial do happen . SpaceX run making tryout of its engine prior to incorporating them into operational rocket engine to ensure they adjoin performance and safety standards . SpaceX is presently test Raptor 2 railway locomotive , which feature improved performance , high efficiency , and greater reliability equate to their predecessors .
It ’s unlikely that this incident will detain IDF-4 , the forthcoming fourth launch of SpaceX ’s experimental Starship megarocket , which use Raptor engines . The companyperformeda soaked garb dry run of the launch arrangement on May 20 , with company CEO Elon Musktweetingthat “ Starship Flight 4 [ should happen ] in about 2 weeks , ” which should be around the first workweek of June .
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