SpaceX's Last Big Test Was All Wet
SpaceX conducted a water deluge system test at its Starbase, Texas launch facility, which resulted in an unexpected explosion-like event but no fires or major damage. The deluge system, designed to protect the launch pad during Starship launches, uses up to 350,000 gallons of water to manage extreme heat and acoustic forces. While SpaceX has not released an official statement, experts believe the incident was minor and unlikely to significantly delay upcoming flight tests.
- ▪SpaceX performed a water deluge test at Launch Pad 2 in Starbase, Texas, which produced a large boom but no fires.
- ▪The deluge system uses approximately 350,000 gallons of water to protect the launch infrastructure from the intense forces of Starship launches.
- ▪Experts suggest the anomaly may have involved a deluge shut-off valve, but no serious damage is believed to have occurred.
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SpaceX's Last Big Test Was All Wet Stephen Green | 11:30 AM on May 04, 2026 Promotional image courtesy of SpaceX via X. There was a big boom during a test at SpaceX's new Launch Pad 2 down in Starbase, Texas, on Sunday, but nothing got burned. Part of the thrill for space fans comes from the hard-won knowledge that every test or launch might end early with a Rapid Unscheduled Disassembly (RUD), the big badda-boom that happens when something goes very wrong in the most spectacular way.
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