SpaceX prepares itself for a tenth Starship flight test
SMRTR summary
A towering rocket explodes, sending debris cascading into the Gulf of Mexico. This was just one of several recent failed tests for SpaceX's massive Starship rocket, but the company is already preparing for its next launch attempt this Sunday.
Flight number 10 comes after three consecutive missions ended in dramatic fashion. During the ninth test, SpaceX lost its Super Heavy Booster when an experimental high-angle approach led to structural failure and an "energetic event" approximately one kilometer above the target area.
Meanwhile, the Starship upper stage made it to space but developed leaks that sent it spinning uncontrollably. The final telemetry was received about 59 kilometers above the Indian Ocean.
SpaceX has identified the culprits: a failed fuel tank pressurization diffuser and problems with a Composite Overwrapped Pressure Vessel.
For Sunday's launch, SpaceX will intentionally disable one of three center engines on the booster to test backup capabilities before dropping it into the ocean. The upper stage will carry simulated Starlink satellites on a suborbital trajectory.
The Federal Aviation Administration has accepted SpaceX's findings and approved the upcoming test flight.
SMRTR provides this summary for quick context. The original article belongs to The Register.
Read the original article