SpaceX prototype part for Starship shown damaged in leaked photos

A crucial component for SpaceX's upcoming Starship rocket appears to be damaged in a recently circulating image.

The prototype part is a component from the Booster 7 rocket booster for Starship and is responsible for transferring propellant to the vehicle's engines. SpaceX conducted pneumatic tests for Booster 7 earlier this month, in which the vehicle was fully pressurized to ensure it performs according to the required specifications.

The downcomer seems to have imploded during the pressure test, meaning Booster 7 could be scrapped in favor of Booster 8 if the part cannot be removed and replaced. It is unclear how much the damaged part will impact the timeline for Starship's upcoming orbital test flight.

An unverified rumor has suggested that the downcomer's failure resulted from a SpaceX employee leaving it unpressurized during the test while pressure was increasing in the surrounding tanks. This would mean that the Booster 7 prototype was not necessarily subject to a systematic flaw affecting all other prototypes, and an overhaul won't be necessary. However, with work on Booster 8 steadily progressing, if Booster 7 isn't viable, Booster 8 may succeed it sooner rather than later.

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