SpaceX Investigates Starship Flight 7 Failure, Identifies Root Cause and Vows Fixes
A Dramatic End to an Ambitious Test Flight
SpaceX’s seventh test flight of its Starship rocket, conducted on January 16, ended in a dramatic explosion, marking a setback for the company’s ambitious reusable spacecraft program. Despite the explosion, the mission was not a complete failure. SpaceX successfully demonstrated a key capability by catching the rocket’s massive first-stage booster, known as Super Heavy, using the launch tower’s mechanical arms, or “chopstick” arms, at its Starbase facility in South Texas. However, the upper stage of the rocket, also called Starship or simply “Ship,” did not fare as well. Instead of deploying 10 dummy satellites into a suborbital trajectory and splashing down in the Indian Ocean, the Ship suffered an anomaly, broke apart over the Atlantic Ocean, and scattered debris across the Turks and Caicos Islands.
The Root Cause of the Failure Revealed
Just hours after the incident, SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk took to X (formerly Twitter) to share preliminary findings. Musk explained that an oxygen and fuel leak in the cavity above the engine firewall, located in the attic area of the Ship, was the likely culprit. The leak created pressure that exceeded the venting capacity of the system, leading to a chain reaction of events. Further investigation, which SpaceX concluded on February 24, confirmed that the primary issue was a harmonic response during flight. This response, which was several times stronger than what had been observed during ground testing, placed unexpected stress on the propulsion system, causing the propellant leaks to escalate beyond the system’s ability to vent them safely.
Fires and Communication Loss: The Final Moments of Ship
The leaked propellants ignited, causing sustained fires in the attic area, which is an unpressurized section of the Ship located between the liquid oxygen tank and the heat shield. These fires led to the shutdown of all but one of the Ship’s six Raptor engines and eventually severed communication with the spacecraft. Loss of contact occurred approximately 8.5 minutes into the flight. As designed, the flight termination system autonomously triggered a few minutes later, leading to the controlled breakup of the Ship to ensure safety.
Steps to Prevent Future Failures
SpaceX has already taken concrete steps to address the issues that led to the failure. For instance, the company conducted a 60-second static fire test of the Ship vehicle scheduled for the eighth Starship flight, which could launch as soon as February 28. This test helped identify necessary hardware changes, such as modifications to the fuel feedlines for the vacuum engines, adjustments to propellant temperatures, and a new thrust target for upcoming flights. Additionally, SpaceX is implementing changes to the Ship’s design, including the addition of extra vents and a nitrogen-based purge system in the attic area to reduce flammability risks. Future upgrades will also introduce the Raptor 3 engine, which promises to reduce the attic volume and eliminate many of the joints that could leak into this critical area.
Collaboration with Regulatory Agencies
The investigation into the Flight 7 anomaly was led by SpaceX, with oversight from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and contributions from NASA, the National Transportation Safety Board, and the U.S. Space Force. The company is now working closely with the FAA to close out the investigation and obtain a flight safety determination, paving the way for the eighth Starship flight. If all goes as planned, this next mission will provide additional insights and bring SpaceX one step closer to achieving its goal of making Starship a fully reusable spacecraft capable of carrying both crew and cargo to Earth orbit, the Moon, Mars, and beyond.
Starship’s Journey Continues: A Story of Trial and Error
While the failure of Flight 7 was undoubtedly a disappointment, it is a reminder of the inherent risks and challenges associated with developing cutting-edge space technology. SpaceX has a history of learning from its setbacks and using them as opportunities to improve its systems. By identifying the root causes of the failure and implementing targeted fixes, the company is demonstrating its commitment to pushing the boundaries of what is possible in space exploration. As Starship continues to evolve, its success will depend not only on its technical capabilities but also on SpaceX’s ability to adapt, innovate, and persevere in the face of adversity. The journey to the stars is never easy, but with each test flight and each lesson learned, Starship is getting closer to its ultimate goal.
