SpaceX Starship MK1 Fails During Pressure Tests

The SpaceX Starship MK1 suffered a major failure today during tank pressurization tests. The top bulkhead blew off the vehicle which was surrounded by large clouds of cryogenic vapour.

The cryogenic liquid – likely liquid oxygen or liquid nitrogen – was carried by the wind and dispersed over the launch complex.

The top bulkhead was seen landing nearby, but its precise location is unknown.

The bottom tank bulkhead appeared to fail as well. A second cloud of vapor appeared out of the base of the vehicle at the same time that the top ruptured – signaling that the entire internal tank structure may have failed.

Elon Musk tweeted that SpaceX would move on to construction of the MK3 version which incorporates many design changes.

Spaceflight is hard. That's why they test, test, test.

Update: More details, including a statement from SpaceX, in this article.