A test tank with liquid nitrogen exploded at the SpaceX spaceport in Texas
An explosion occurred at the SpaceX spaceport under construction in Texas in the USA. During the tests on Tuesday, January 18, the GSE-4 test tank with liquid nitrogen exploded. The incident was noticed by observers, Futurism reports .
The recording shows a GSE-4 tank filled with liquid nitrogen. During the tests, nitrogen was replaced with methane, which is stored in the tank. As the pressure increases, the amount of vapor increases, and when the critical moment is reached, an explosion occurs.
The publication notes that there is no information whether the explosion was intentional or accidental. The author of the publication emphasizes that the explosion could have been unintentional. The recording shows cars and equipment that are located near the tank.
It is noted that SpaceX has already conducted test explosions of tanks as part of work on Starship in June 2020. A special tank is designed to store liquid nitrogen and oxygen, which are used to refuel the Starship.
Earlier, SpaceX announced the successful landing of the first stage of the Falcon 9 launch vehicle on the A Shortfall of Gravitas platform in the Atlantic Ocean.