One of space rockets which NASA wants to use to send people to the moon exploded during a small test. Elon Musk scientists conducted cryogenic tests when Super Heavy Booster 7 burst The reasons are not entirely clear, but it may be due to fuel leak a cloud of methane and oxygen formed.
Elon Musk himself appeared on Boca Chica Launch Base, in Texas, for damage assessment. At the moment it will be necessary inspect your 33 engines in good faith. For this reason, SpaceX has already removed the rocket from the base for analysis.
According to the CEO of the company, if everything goes well, the launch will not be much delayed and will take place in a maximum of a month. This will consist of preliminary tests to ensure that the rocket can actually land in a controlled manner after starting and releasing its payload. This will make it easier to reuse the same rocket for multiple missions to the Moon in the future, which will reduce its contribution to space debris levels.
The test that blew up the SpaceX rocket
The combustion systems used in most rockets today require cryogenic cooling supplied with liquefied gases. They are stored at very low temperatures, from -150°C to -273°C.
pressure and temperature changes They are very effective in helping to launch rockets. But if all variables are not controlled, its use can end in a crash. The reason is that when such cold fuel is supplied to steel tanks, the metal is supercooled and, therefore, freezes water vapor in the air. This results in a thin layer of frost on some parts of the rocket.
In addition, when cryogenic liquids come into contact with the pipes and tanks of the ship at room temperature, they heat up sharply and turn into a gas. The result is a series of sudden changes in state, temperature and pressure that can get out of control if not properly measured. SpaceX routinely conducts these cryogenic tests to make sure everything is under control before launch. This is exactly what they did this time when the ship exploded.
Rocket to fly to the Moon and Mars
Once the bugs that caused this explosion have been corrected, the goal is to perform a controlled launch and landing at Pacific Oceannorth of Hawaii.
This will be one of many tests that SpaceX intends to conduct before its rockets are used to power ships that will take people back to the moon as part of the SpaceX project. Artemis programfrom NASA.
This is what they have closed for the moment with the US space agency. However, Elon Musk’s company plans to use its recycled launch system for other missions. This includes, for example, those send humans to Mars for the first time.
Anyway, neither will happen before 2025, soon. Therefore, they still have enough time to practice and avoid explosions like the one that just happened in Boca Chica.
Source: Hiper Textual
