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SpaceX has started to build a ground test stand at its launch tower in Texas after its ground testing facilities were destroyed in an explosion last month. Starship is currently under development in Texas and has been off to a slow start in 2025 as the second-generation upper-stage spacecraft has continued to fail to meet test flight objectives. Last month's explosion appeared to have dealt a serious blow to SpaceX's testing timeline, as while the firm can rely on the hardware-rich nature of its rockets, rebuilding damaged or destroyed facilities will take time.
SpaceX Navigates Second Infrastructure Setback In Starship Program
The last time SpaceX's Starship program was dealt a similar setback as June's explosion was in 2023 when the firm attempted to fly the rocket for the first time. While the ship and the booster failed to separate on the first flight, the major setback came from the launch pad as the thrust from the Super Heavy booster's engines led to extensive damage.
As a result, SpaceX had to rebuild its launch pad and add a water deluge system to tame the rocket's exhaust. The entire process, including approvals, took six months and eventually led to the second Starship test flight in November.
For its first few Starship test flights, SpaceX had tested the ship's engines on the launch pad through a test mount. However, the firm quickly built new ground testing facilities, which were damaged during last month's explosion of the second-generation upper-stage Starship rocket.
Footage from local media after the explosion revealed extensive damage to the site, with SpaceX's teams moving in quickly to clean the debris. However, rebuilding the facility will take longer than the time it would take the firm to prepare its next Starship rocket for Flight 10. According to SpaceX, a faulty pressurized tank in the ship's forward (upper) segment led to the explosion. A fix should simply involve using a qualified tank to replace it in existing upper-stage ships.
However, due to the explosion, SpaceX will have to static fire the ship again. For this purpose, the firm is building a new test stand at its launch site. SpaceX is modifying a ship transport stand to function as a test fire stand on top of the launch mount. Placing the stand on the launch mount is important due to the presence of the water deluge system at the site. This system protects the ground from the ship's exhaust and the ship's engines from the concrete and other particles that might blow up during a static fire.
Once it completes the test stand, SpaceX should quickly roll out the next ship to the launch tower for testing. The firm had moved quickly after Starship Flight 9 and tested the Super Heavy booster soon after the flight. However, the unexpected explosion set it back in a test program that has seen SpaceX struggle with the upper-stage ship in 2025.
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