Starship SN3 fails during cryo testing
Source: NASASpaceflight.com
Starship SN3 fails during cryo testing
written by Thomas Burghardt April 3, 2020
SpaceX Starship SN3, the latest iteration of Starship test vehicles, was lost during testing at the launch site in Boca Chica, Texas. Following its transportation to the launch pad, it was prepared for a program of tests on the ground and in flight – but failed during proof testing on Friday morning. Elon Musk tweeted it may have been the result of a “test configuration mistake”.
The SN3 (Serial Number 3) vehicle incorporated lessons learned from previous vehicles and test articles, and took advantage of improved manufacturing techniques and expanded facilities at SpaceX’s South Texas launch facility.
The next round of testing began this week with cryogenic proof testing. These tests saw the vehicle filled with liquid nitrogen at cryogenic temperatures and flight pressures. Proof testing began in Thursday and continued through to Friday morning when SN3 failed during what appeared to be the end of the test.
With Elon Musk noting “we will see what data review says in the morning, but this may have been a test configuration mistake,” on Twitter and the first-look observations, the fault may have been related to detanking, rather than another failure under pressure.
Prior Starship test vehicles have had their campaigns cut short by failed cryogenic testing, including the last flight vehicle SpaceX rolled to the Boca Chica launch pad, Starship SN1. However, the previous losses were due to the vehicles failing to deal with pressurization testing.
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Read more: https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2020/04/spacex-starship-sn3-ground-flight-testing/
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Just saying
It should be called the Phoenix, and Magic Carpet Ride by Steppenwolf should be playing in the background during liftoff!
