Explosion at SpaceX facility throughout Raptor 2 engine suitability check
An explosion occurred throughout a suitability check of the Raptor 2 engine at SpaceX’s rocket improvement facility in McGregor, Texas on Thursday round 4:15 pm native time. Video footage captured by NASASpaceflight confirmed that the engine shut down roughly 14 seconds after ignition.
Following the shutdown, steam continued to persist and dissipate below the engine, however then a small fireplace emerged below the check space. The flames grew and escalated into a large fireball.
The explosion was doubtless brought on by a mixture of methane and oxygen gases. The Raptor engine makes use of liquid methane as gas and liquid oxygen as an oxidizer. A leak or misfire may have prompted the gases to combine and ignite, ensuing within the fuel-air bomb explosion witnessed throughout the check.
SpaceX conducts qualification checks on its engines to make sure they meet efficiency and security requirements earlier than integrating them into operational rockets. The Raptor 2 engines being examined provide improved efficiency, effectivity, and reliability in comparison with earlier fashions.