SpaceX’s ‘Starhopper’ bursts into flames during static fire test
SpaceX’s test vehicle, a small-scale demonstration craft for some Starship components, caught fire after what appears to be a fuel leak or dump following an otherwise successful static fire test last night. It’s not clear why the craft suddenly burst into flames, or whether it was seriously or even superficially damaged.
The “Starhopper,” as SpaceX has been calling it, is a much smaller-scale version of the Starship craft the company has in development, meant to test them out in a live-fire environment and even perform short flights called hops — hence the name. It’s being assembled and operated at SpaceX’s facilities in Boca Chica, Texas.
https://techcrunch.com/2019/07/17/sp...tic-fire-test/