The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration FAA announced on Monday that it has concluded its investigation into the explosion that occurred during SpaceX’s Starship Super Heavy Orbital Test flight in late 2023. The FAA’s decision comes after SpaceX led the investigation into the incident, which resulted in the Super Heavy booster exploding during its return for a landing.
According to SpaceX, the explosion occurred after several engines failed to properly reignite during the booster’s return phase. The Super Heavy booster serves as the rocket system’s first stage, propelling the upper Starship stage toward space. Despite the failure, the uncrewed spacecraft, designed for missions to the moon and beyond, managed to progress further than in its previous test, which ended in an explosion.
The incident took place more than three and a half minutes into the flight over the Gulf of Mexico. Following a thorough investigation, SpaceX identified the root causes of the explosion and proposed 17 corrective actions in its mishap report. These actions include hardware redesigns, updated control system modeling, re-evaluation of engine analyses, updated engine control algorithms, operational changes, flammability analysis updates, and the installation of additional fire protection measures.
In response to SpaceX’s proposed corrective actions, the FAA has agreed to close the investigation and implement the new procedures for future flights. The collaboration between SpaceX and the FAA underscores the commitment to ensuring the safety and reliability of spaceflight operations, especially as companies like SpaceX continue to push the boundaries of space exploration.
As SpaceX works to address the issues identified in the investigation, the FAA’s approval of the corrective actions paves the way for the company to resume testing and development of its Starship spacecraft. With the implementation of enhanced procedures and safety measures, SpaceX aims to achieve its goal of revolutionizing space travel and enabling humanity’s exploration of the cosmos.
