SpaceX’s prototype Starship rocket partially bursts during testing in Texas

the verge ^ | Nov 20, 2019 | Loren Grush

[BenLurkin]

A test version of SpaceX’s next-generation rocket, Starship, partially burst apart during ground tests in Texas today, erupting plumes of gas and sending some pieces of hardware soaring into the sky. Live streams set up by local space enthusiasts captured the failure in real time this afternoon.

The explosive result occurred while SpaceX was seemingly conducting some pressure tests with the vehicle at the company’s test site in Boca Chica, Texas. The local live streams showed the vehicle venting gas periodically throughout the day, indicating that testing was underway.

Now, that timeline is almost certain to shift. After the explosion, Musk indicated on Twitter that SpaceX may no longer fly this particular prototype and will instead conduct flight tests with a newer, more up-to-date model that the company planned to build. “This had some value as a manufacturing pathfinder, but flight design is quite different,” Musk wrote, referring to the prototype that burst.

[BuffaloJack]

“Nothing sleek about that (not so much) flying Fire Hydrant.”

Best description of the Elon Munch rocket I’ve ever seen.

[Moonman62]

Thanks for your reply. I now know your opinion can safely be ignored.

[Mr. K]

um, you know why they test, right?
In order to FIND problems like this.

[21twelve]

Musk has done some amazing stuff. It will be interesting to see how this rocket does.

At this point in time though, it looks like a “Red Green” skit.

“So - the lodge is low on funds. But Harvey read in the papers of this reward to launch a rocket. Bill down at the feed lot said he’s got a leaky silo he’ll donate. Bob the welder had some sheet metal from a barn that went down in the last storm. Another 20 rolls of duct tape and we’ll be on Mars!”

[Moonman62]

Supposedly, the company that built the rocket body builds water tanks.

[Viking2002]

I always thought the Dyna-Soar had some potential. And the Saturn-Shuttle was a good one. But the whole concept went to pot when an M2-F2 took a header, and it cost us $6 mil to rebuild the pilot into a Borg. 😉

[csvset]

[Viking2002]

Yes. It's the equivalent of an aerospace 'Here, hold muh beer and watch this' test. Like souping up your lawn tractor to see if your tinkering got it to go faster. Sometimes that bungee cord was attached to the wrong place.

[stinkerpot65]

Too many sour old men on this board.

I don't know if this will work or not, but Spacex is already launching rockets into space and then landing them.

The sight of those rockets landing themselves is incredible to me.

But the old tubs of lard on this board can only gripe about the shape of the rocket.

[Mr. K]

Now there’s a stupid reply...

[Mr. K]

It was originally planned to land the first stages but it was apparently just too hard....
Plus the first rule of government spending why buy one when you can buy two at twice the price.

[PIF]

It was a cryonic pressure test, not launch. Something failed a the top cap blew off. Moving on from the Mk. 1 (the failure) to the Mk. 3 versions, but Mk. 2 is being built

[PIF]

[Viking2002]

I’ll take that at face value, Buzz Aldrin. Where did you get your aerospace PhD, Estes University?

[buckalfa]

"At this point in time though, it looks like a “Red Green” skit."

Thanks for the memory jog.

[cgbg]

Man on the moon and Mars—any day now...any day now...

Separating fools from their money.

[Redleg Duke]

Quite a gathering of Luddites here, this morning.

[cgbg]

sour old men

Guilty as charged.

We old-timers can smell a con-artist a mile away.

[PreciousLiberty]

"You talk like a yacht skipper who thinks the RMS Titanic is unsinkable. See you in three years."

You're calling ME a poser when you're unwilling to put your money where your big mouth has gone? Your favorite charity is losing out... LOL!

See ya, all right!

[backwoods-engineer]

OK, what expertise do you have in structural aerospace design with cryogenics? Musk made the correct choice with stainless steel. And the ogive shape DOES have advantages.