Jun 26th 2025
AI generated, human edited.
The hosts of This Week in Space found themselves discussing yet another SpaceX mishap during their live broadcast from the National Space Society’s International Space Development Conference in Orlando. Last week, what was supposed to be a routine static fire test of Starship's six engines resulted in what SpaceX euphemistically called "a sudden energetic event" - in other words, a massive explosion that lit up the Texas sky like a nuclear test.
Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik dove deep into the technical details, explaining that the likely culprit was a composite overwrapped pressure vessel (COPV) - essentially a high-tech tank that stores pressurized gases. The irony wasn't lost on them that this same type of component had caused problems for SpaceX's Falcon 9 rockets in the past, though SpaceX insists these are completely different systems with no commonality except... well, being COPVs.
The explosion's timing couldn't be worse. This wasn't a flight test where pushing boundaries is expected; this was a ground test where the rocket was simply sitting on the stand. The resulting damage was extensive, destroying not just the vehicle but much of the test infrastructure itself, potentially setting back SpaceX's aggressive launch schedule by weeks or months.
Malik pointed out the mounting pressure on SpaceX: they've promised NASA they'll land astronauts on the Moon by 2027, they've signed up for 50+ launches this year, and they want to fly Starship 25 times. But with four major incidents just this year - including this latest ground explosion - those targets are looking increasingly unrealistic.
The hosts noted a pattern that's becoming hard to ignore. SpaceX had six successful flights with their previous Starship design, then decided to change a bit of everything at once: bigger fuel tanks, redesigned fins, new heat shield configurations, active cooling systems, and modifications to the engine compartment. It's the SpaceX way - iterate fast and break things - but when you're breaking things this expensive and this often, with multiple variables to consider, questions can arise.
Pyle brought historical perspective, comparing this to NASA's struggles with the Saturn V's F-1 engines in the 1960s. Back then, test engines exploded a couple of dozen times before engineers figured out the acoustic problems. The difference? This was the first time out with big rocket engines, and the race to beat the Soviet Union to the moon was deadly serious.
The discussion revealed a deeper concern: while SpaceX struggles with Starship, Blue Origin quietly prepares for their New Glenn rocket debut and outlines realistic lunar landing plans. China maintains its steady march toward a 2029 crewed lunar landing. The hosts wondered aloud whether SpaceX's famous "fail fast" philosophy might actually hand victory in the new space race to more methodical competitors.
What makes this latest failure particularly troubling is its nature - not a pushing-the-envelope flight test, but a routine ground operation gone catastrophically wrong. It suggests quality control issues rather than innovation growing pains, a distinction that matters when you're supposed to be carrying astronauts in just a few years.
Want to hear the full analysis, including how this affects NASA's moon plans and whether Blue Origin could save the Artemis program? Listen to the complete episode of This Week in Space, where Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik also discuss the discovery of the universe's missing matter, take live questions from their ISDC audience, and share wild stories about wearing real spacesuits. Available wherever you get your podcasts.
Share: Copied! This Week in Space #166Jun 20 2025 - Live From the Swamps, ISDC 2025
SpaceX Starship EXPLODES on Test S… All Tech posts Contact Advertise CC License Privacy Policy Ad Choices TOS Store Twitter Facebook Instgram YouTube Yes, like every site on the Internet, this site uses cookies. So now you know. Learn more Hide Home Schedule Subscribe Club TWiT About Club TWiT FAQ Access Account Members-Only Podcasts Update Payment Method Connect to Discord TWiT Blog Recent Posts Advertise Sponsors Store People About What is TWiT.tv Tickets Developer Program and API Tip jar Partners Contact Us