Uploaded November 2025 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
When you’re moving very fast, you might be beating everyone in the race, but you’re also stacking up a lot of serious risks. And when you’re dealing with a giant rocket booster filled with super-cold propellant, those risks get even more intense. SpaceX just got a painful reminder of that.
Recently at Starbase, they were testing one of their newest Super Heavy prototypes during a cryogenic tanking run. Everything was supposed to be routine. Instead, the booster suffered a violent pressure failure and a huge blast of cryogenic propellant tore out of the vehicle. In a few seconds, months of quiet preparation turned into a big problem that SpaceX now has to deal with.
In this video, we’re going to break down exactly what happened during that test, why this kind of failure is so dangerous, and what SpaceX is doing to fix it and keep Starship Flight 12 on track.
Before we dive deeper into the details, make sure to subscribe to the channel so you don’t miss future updates on Starship, SpaceX, and everything happening at Starbase.
Early in the morning on November, Booster 18 was loaded with cryogenic propellants for a standard cryo test. These tests always follow a predictable pattern: fill the tanks, pressurize them above expected flight levels, then release the pressure through controlled venting. Everything looked normal until a major pressure incident suddenly occurred. The booster burst at one of its lower sections, and a huge cloud of cryogenic propellant shot out. The footage circulating online suggests the blast came either from the booster’s aft section near the quick disconnect area or from the LOX tank lower portion.
When you’re moving very fast, you might be beating everyone in the race, but you’re also stacking up a lot of serious risks. And when you’re dealing with a giant rocket booster filled with super-cold propellant, those risks get even more intense. SpaceX just got a painful reminder of that.
Recently at Starbase, they were testing one of their newest Super Heavy prototypes during a cryogenic tanking run. Everything was supposed to be routine. Instead, the booster suffered a violent pressure failure and a huge blast of cryogenic propellant tore out of the vehicle. In a few seconds, months of quiet preparation turned into a big problem that SpaceX now has to deal with.
In this video, we’re going to break down exactly what happened during that test, why this kind of failure is so dangerous, and what SpaceX is doing to fix it and keep Starship Flight 12 on track.
Before we dive deeper into the details, make sure to subscribe to the channel so you don’t miss future updates on Starship, SpaceX, and everything happening at Starbase.
Early in the morning on November, Booster 18 was loaded with cryogenic propellants for a standard cryo test. These tests always follow a predictable pattern: fill the tanks, pressurize them above expected flight levels, then release the pressure through controlled venting. Everything looked normal until a major pressure incident suddenly occurred. The booster burst at one of its lower sections, and a huge cloud of cryogenic propellant shot out. The footage circulating online suggests the blast came either from the booster’s aft section near the quick disconnect area or from the LOX tank lower portion.
