Space This is the conclusion of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) after shelving the investigation, a blow to the interests of the company founded and directed by Elon Musk that could also delay the Artemis 3 mission to the Moon. , as NASA has commissioned a modified version of the Starship to take its astronauts to the lunar surface.
The same South African businessman had written this week on However, Space X will have to carry out important modifications to continue with its space project.
“Corrective actions include vehicle hardware redesigns to prevent leaks and fires, redesign of the launch pad to increase its robustness, incorporation of additional reviews in the design process, additional analysis and testing of safety-critical systems and components, including the Autonomous Flight Safety System, and application of additional change control,” as explained in a statement.
The federal authority clarifies that “the closure of the accident investigation does not indicate an immediate resumption of Starship launches in Boca Chica,” in Texas and that “SpaceX must implement all corrective actions that affect public safety and request and receive a FAA license modification that addresses all applicable regulatory, environmental, and safety requirements prior to Starship’s upcoming launch.”
The incident in question occurred on April 20, minutes after taking off from a launch pad in south Texas. The rocket, the most powerful ever built, did not reach orbit. Following launch at 7:33 a.m. local time, Starship underwent a period of maximum aerodynamic pressure and then began to fall before exploding in a fireball over the Gulf of Mexico.