An explosion described as a “fireball” occurred when SpaceX tested a Raptor 2 engine May 23 in McGregor, but it appeared to largely escape notice in the surrounding community.
The blast reportedly took place 14 seconds after ignition late that afternoon at SpaceX’s sprawling Rocket Development and Test Facility in the community 15 miles west of Waco.
“Initially, everything seemed normal, but lingering vapor soon gave way to a small fire under the engine, which then erupted into a massive fireball that engulfed the entire testing stand,” the trade magazine Techstory reported.
SpaceX as of late Tuesday afternoon had not issued a statement, and it is not known if the explosion will cause testing delays.
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— Chris Bergin – NSF (@NASASpaceflight) May 23, 2024 Andrew Smith, McGregor’s economic development director, said by phone the explosion “caused no damage that they can’t repair in a very short period of time, and nobody was injured. That’s why they have safety protocols.”
Officials with the McGregor Volunteer Fire Department said its records show nothing about responding to a fire or explosion at SpaceX, which leases more than 4,500 acres in McGregor’s industrial park.
“Because of stuff like this is why SpaceX has so much space,” Smith said. “They have a buffer zone between the explosion and any residences.
“I did not hear the explosion, and I live smack in the middle of town. My wife works at the high school, about a mile-and-a-half away as the crow flies, and she did not hear it. Yes, I am surprised they had an explosion, but that’s why they have safety protocols in place. I’m starting my ninth year in this position, and off the top of my head, I do not recall another explosion.”
A rocket being tested at the McGregor facility on Aug. 22, 2014 exploded in midair and required local fire response, though no injuries were reported, the Tribune-Herald reported at the time. SpaceX officials at the time said the rocket was automatically detonated and the mission terminated when a malfunction occurred.
Techstory this week had this to say about testing rocket engines: “Explosions, though dramatic, are not uncommon in rocket engine qualification tests. These tests are crucial for ensuring engines meet rigorous performance and safety standards before they are used in actual missions.
“The Raptor 2 engines, currently under scrutiny, are designed to offer better performance, higher efficiency, and greater reliability compared to previous versions.”
The Techstory article notes the Raptor engine uses liquid methane as fuel and liquid oxygen as the oxidizer. These gases are highly volatile, and a leak or combustion anomaly could have caused the explosion.
“Another theory is that the fireball ignited something on the test stand,” the article states. “The exact details remain uncertain until SpaceX provides more information.”
NASASpaceFlight.com, which monitors SpaceX testing, had livestreamed four SpaceX tests by late afternoon Tuesday, including a vertical Raptor test. This would indicate the explosion did not put testing completely off schedule.
The McGregor City Council and former Mayor Jim Hering discussed reducing noise associated with the rocket testing at SpaceX, which can occasionally be heard by residents as far away as North Waco. Vertical testing includes water suppression that muffles sound, Smith said, adding that vertical testing produces steam that some observers mistake for smoke.
“In some instances, they still have to do horizontal testing, but that has definitely become less frequent,” said Smith. He said Raptor development has surged as SpaceX goes full speed ahead on creating Starship, a futuristic rocket for interplanetary travel.
Boca Chica, on the Texas coast, is ground zero for creating what some call the world’s most powerful rocket. Each fully reusable Starship requires 33 Raptor engines, said Smith.
“SpaceX has ambitious plans for Starship, aiming for multiple flight tests this year,” said Techstory. “The last flight test . . . saw Starship reach orbital velocity, circling Earth before crashing into the Indian Ocean.”
The next flight aims to achieve a reentry burn, allowing Starship to perform a soft landing in the ocean. SpaceX hopes to fly Starship up to nine time this year, pending an agreement with the Federal Aviation Authority to allow more frequent launches,” said Techstory, which said this accelerated timetable allows SpaceX to fulfill promises to NASA, including the creation of a modified Starship lunar lander to accommodate future moon missions.
In its reporting of last week’s McGregor explosion, the Houston Chronicle said, “The unusually fiery event happened in the course of checking performance and safety standards. Earlier this month, South Texans also noticed SpaceX gearing up for the next launch by firing all six Raptor engines and causing a cloud of smoke to hang over Boca Chica Beach.”
SpaceX released a statement saying it has made several software and hardware upgrades since its most recent Starship test flight. It is learning to build a “fully reusable transportation system designed to carry crew and cargo to Earth orbit, the Moon, Mars and beyond,” said the Chronicle.
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