SpaceX is investigating the possibility that a leaky valve caused its Crew Dragon spacecraft capsule to explode on a test stand at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, US, in April.
SpaceX, which is aiming to send US astronauts to the International Space Station by the end of 2019, suffered a setback when it was carrying out static fire engine tests of the Crew Dragon In-Flight Abort test vehicle. The final test resulted in “destruction of the vehicle”, but no injuries were reported.
Preliminary findings of the accident investigation team indicate that a leaking component allowed liquid oxidiser – nitrogen tetroxide – to enter high-pressure helium tubes during ground processing.
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