A prototype Raptor 3 engine detonated during a ground test at SpaceX's Starbase facility in Texas, a blast captured on video by NASASpaceflight.
NASASpaceflight footage shows an initial exhaust plume followed by a loud boom and a pillar of flame, and Gizmodo reported that the cause of the detonation is unclear.
SpaceX plans to equip the upcoming Starship V3 with 39 Raptor 3 engines, and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has said an uncrewed Starship could go to Mars in 2026.
The test is part of qualification work ahead of a Starship V3 flight currently scheduled for May, and SpaceX has indicated an IPO could follow in June, making successful demonstrations consequential for those timelines.
This summary is based on coverage by Jalopnik.
Read the full article at Jalopnik.
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