An explosion occurred at a SpaceX test facility in Texas during testing of the Raptor rocket engine for the Starship system.
Raptor explosion
McGregor Incident
During SpaceX's preparatory work for the next Starship launch on At its facilities in Boca Chica, Texas, the company's McGregor rocket engine test facility, also in Texas, experienced a fire in a Raptor engine for the Starship space system.
According to local media, during the test tests, a powerful explosion occurred, which resulted in a fire that engulfed the test tower. At this time, there have been no official reports from SpaceX regarding the accident. However, the television channel NASASpaceflight broadcast live the incident.
Test progress
The engine test run began shortly after 16:12 local time and appeared to proceed as normal. 14 seconds after ignition, when the smoke had cleared, the engine shut down and the test was apparently completed successfully. However, immediately after this, flames began to burst out from the bottom of the test stand, where the jet stream from the rocket engine nozzle comes from. During the test, Raptor-like flames were observed in this area. The new flame was orange and spread upward until the explosion engulfed the entire structure.
Raptor Features
Unlike most rocket companies that produce a limited number of engines for specific rockets, SpaceX has significant resources. Before a rocket engine is installed on a Falcon 9, Super Heavy or Starship, it undergoes qualification testing at SpaceX's McGregor facilities. Types of rocket engines can be distinguished by the nature of their exhaust. While the Falcon Heavy's Merlin exhaust has an orange tint, the Raptor's exhaust is cleaner and bluish. The Raptor engines are a completely new design, developed specifically for Starship, and use methane as fuel.
SpaceX is continually upgrading the Raptor engines as they await installation on Starship boosters. Currently, the Raptor 2 engines are used, which have higher thrust and a less complex design. Raptor is designed to use Mars resources, particularly liquid methane, as fuel. It is significantly more powerful than the Falcon 9 and Merlin engines.
Glossary
- SpaceX is an American private aerospace company engaged in the production of space launch vehicles and spaceships.
- Starship is a SpaceX reusable interplanetary transport system designed to deliver people and cargo to Mars and other planets of the Solar System.
- Raptor is a series of full cycle renewable energy rocket engines powered by liquid methane and liquid oxygen developed by SpaceX for use in the Starship system.
- Falcon 9 is a partially reusable launch vehicle manufactured by SpaceX, designed to launch cargo weighing up to 22.8 tons into low-Earth orbit.
- Merlin is a family of rocket engines developed by SpaceX and used in the Falcon 9 launch vehicle.
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Answers to questions
What happened during the Starship Raptor engine test at McGregor?
What is the purpose of rocket engine qualification testing at SpaceX?
How is the Raptor engine different from other rocket engines?
What does the Raptor engine do?
What versions of the Raptor engine are currently in use?
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Discussion of the topic – Explosion of SpaceX's Starship Raptor rocket engine: failure or a new step towards success?
An explosion occurred during testing of a new SpaceX rocket engine, causing a fire. While the incident appears to be a setback, it could prove to be an important step toward improving SpaceX's technology.
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Ивана
Damn, what's that noise? 🔥 How scary it is that a Raptor engine exploded at a SpaceX test site! 😨 I hope no one got hurt. I am confident that SpaceX will quickly figure out the reasons and be able to fix the problem.
Ганс
Yeah, that's an impressive explosion on video! 💥 It is not surprising that such powerful engines as the Raptor can lead to such incidents during testing. But SpaceX is no longer a newbie; they know how to deal with difficulties. 💪
Пьер
It's amazing how quickly SpaceX is upgrading its Raptor engines. 🚀 A version of Raptor 2 with improved characteristics is already in use! It seems that they are not just engaged in space flights, but are engaged in a real arms race in rocket science. 😂
Карлос
Yes, the explosion is impressive, but let's not forget that SpaceX is a rich company and they can afford such incidents. 💰 Unlike most other rocket companies, they have no restrictions on engine production. So I'm sure they will recover quickly.
Бруно
Hey guys, did you know that Raptor was designed specifically to use Mars resources, such as liquid methane? 🌍 This means that in the future we will be able to produce rocket fuel directly on the Red Planet! 🚀 What a cool prospect!
Гжегож
Ugh, those rocket things again. 🙄 All these explosions, noise and soot - what nonsense! In my time, people did more worthwhile things. 👴 I don’t understand why spend so much money on these useless entertainments.
Оля
Grzegorz, don’t be such a grumbler! 🤭 Progress does not stand still, and space technologies open new horizons for humanity. 🌌 In addition, explosions are part of the testing process, they help identify weak points and improve the design.
Макс
I agree with Olya! 👏 Even such impressive explosions are only a small price to pay for the great future of space exploration. 🚀 Can you imagine how great it will be to one day fly to Mars on a rocket with engines running on local fuel? 💫 SpaceX is making history!