Uploaded November 2025 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
We all know what happened just about a week ago. SpaceX accidentally blew up Booster 18 during a high-pressure test at Massey, and the whole thing caught everyone off guard. One moment the booster was sitting there going through what looked like a routine pressurization check, and the next moment the Liquid Oxygen tank buckled inward and ripped apart with a massive blast. The top section split open like a torn soda can and debris scattered all across the test stand.
The damage was so bad that even from a distance you could see the forward dome deforming, the methane tank section hanging open, and pieces of insulation dangling off like loose skin.
And because the blast happened while the booster was full of cryogenic fluids, the whole area around it froze over, making cleanup even harder.
Naturally, people immediately assumed this would delay Starship Flight 12 by months. B18 was supposed to be the booster for that mission, and losing a full booster at this stage usually means a long setback. Many thought early 2026 launch was no longer realistic.
Instead of waiting weeks, the team got to work almost right away.
2 days ago, the forward section—the upper part that normally holds methane—was sliced off using a laser cutter. Once it was detached, the crane lowered it to the ground. After that, workers chopped it into three big chunks, including the hot-staging ring. Even though those pieces aren’t connected anymore, each section is still nine meters across, which makes every move slow and heavy. It’s stainless steel on a massive scale.
We all know what happened just about a week ago. SpaceX accidentally blew up Booster 18 during a high-pressure test at Massey, and the whole thing caught everyone off guard. One moment the booster was sitting there going through what looked like a routine pressurization check, and the next moment the Liquid Oxygen tank buckled inward and ripped apart with a massive blast. The top section split open like a torn soda can and debris scattered all across the test stand.
The damage was so bad that even from a distance you could see the forward dome deforming, the methane tank section hanging open, and pieces of insulation dangling off like loose skin.
And because the blast happened while the booster was full of cryogenic fluids, the whole area around it froze over, making cleanup even harder.
Naturally, people immediately assumed this would delay Starship Flight 12 by months. B18 was supposed to be the booster for that mission, and losing a full booster at this stage usually means a long setback. Many thought early 2026 launch was no longer realistic.
Instead of waiting weeks, the team got to work almost right away.
2 days ago, the forward section—the upper part that normally holds methane—was sliced off using a laser cutter. Once it was detached, the crane lowered it to the ground. After that, workers chopped it into three big chunks, including the hot-staging ring. Even though those pieces aren’t connected anymore, each section is still nine meters across, which makes every move slow and heavy. It’s stainless steel on a massive scale.
