SpaceX Wraps Up Probe Into Starship Failure That Scattered Debris Over Vacation Spots

We now know the likely cause of a Starship test flight failure that caused rocket parts to rain down over popular tourist destinations back in January, and forcing airlines to divert flights. The upper stage Starship spacecraft experienced a stronger-than-expected harmonic response, according to a statement from SpaceX. By harmonic response, engineers mean vibrations amplified by resonance. That, in turn, put increased stress on the propulsion system, likely causing the rocket to explode before it had the chance to reach space. On January 17, the Super Heavy booster’s 33 Raptor engines all fired successfully at launch, and the booster was able to both start up and complete its full burn. The upper stage ignited its own Raptor engines as it separated from the booster. While the booster did ultimately return to the ground, where it was caught at the launch site, there was a slight hiccup to the process. A low-power condition in one engine’s igniter system forced it to prematurely shut ... Read full article.