SPACE – Watch out for collateral damage. Thursday, September 8, a spectacular test of a rocket from SpaceX ignited the launch pad, in Boca Chica Village, Texas. For the first time, all six engines of the Starship prototype were ignited. Objective: to ensure that the upper stage of the rocket will be ready for its first attempt at orbital launch.
A very impressive maneuver, which threw burning debris over hundreds of meters… And caused a major plant fire. The fire was not immediately visible: the clouds of dust and vapor from the shooting had to dissipate before seeing the first flames. Several dozen hectares burned.
Local firefighters responded and brought the blaze under control overnight. This is the second fire of this magnitude caused by Starship testing since 2019. Despite the fire, the mission was a success. One more step closer Starship of its takeoff.
Starship is SpaceX’s largest project to date. It has the ambition to become a real interplanetary ship, capable of sending a hundred passengers, in particular to Mars. This system, developed in Boca Chica since 2019, will eventually replace the entire range of SpaceX launchers and transports.
Earlier this year, Elon Musk listed Starship liftoff as one of his top two personal goals for 2022. Originally scheduled for this summer, liftoff has been delayed due to extensive testing and is expected within six coming months.
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