The SpaceX chopsticks hydraulics system failed during a test on Aug. 6, 2022. The failure caused an explosion and created questions of safety.
Space's chopstick hydraulics system failed on Aug. 6 and since then there has been a lot of speculation about future launches. Elon Musk founded SpaceX in 2002. The company has been creating, testing and implementing changes to the astronautic world for two decades.
The Mechazilla robot arms created by SpaceX are lovingly referred to as chopstick arms. These mechanical arms have been built to make lifting, moving and stacking the SpaceX Starship and Super Heavy boosters easier and quicker. The standard options, such as cranes, also accomplish this feat, but cranes are more susceptible to wind than the mechanical robot arms SpaceX has created. The chopstick arms have also been made to catch part of the Starship as it returns to Earth, saving time, energy and resources.
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Elon Musk tweeted a confirmation of the hiccup by saying, "I love the smell of hydraulic fluid in the morning." The hydraulic failure occurred on the evening of Aug. 6, as SpaceX personnel were preparing to load Booster 7, which was parked after the failed set-up. The YouTube Video shows what looks like steam coming from the area the hydraulics sit. No fire occurred, nothing was damaged, and no one was harmed. This is good news, especially looking forward to the Starship's first orbital flight. However, the failure has led many spectators to wonder what would have happened if the hydraulics system had failed during a lift. The short answer is that it could have been catastrophic. However, the hydraulics failure was not disastrous, and it will lead SpaceX engineers to improve their work so that the mistake will not happen during a lift or any other mission.
Other spectators applaud Elon Musk and SpaceX for continuing with the multiple operations currently underway. One YouTube commenter said, "Every failure that decides to manifest at this stage is still excellent news!" The overall consensus among spectators, scientists and engineers alike is that the failure of the hydraulics system could have been bad if SpaceX had not controlled it. Still, applause goes to team SpaceX for the time, patience and safety precautions taken during each testing phase. The Polaris Dawn Crew's upcoming Starlink test is one of the many examples of how SpaceX goes above and beyond in testing phases.
While hydraulics hoses are known to fail from time to time, speculators across the Internet are worried that the failure could have been worse had it happened during a lift. However, while working on the same project, others recognize the failure as a learning experience and look forward to seeing SpaceX overcome the hurdle after a recent static fire. The SpaceX team can be expected to continue working to overcome any issue that arises in its equipment, and they have proven time and time again that they take great care of its staff. Continued testing and focus on each project will lead to a transformation of the future of space exploration.
Shelby Hicks is a Tech Writer for ScreenRant, specifically in the NASA/SpaceX niche. She has been freelance writing in the tech, firearms, and healthcare niches since 2019 and enjoys reading the works of others as much as she loves writing her own. Shelby is a stay-at-home wife and mother in the hills of East Tennessee and enjoys gardening, cooking, and playing with her pets. Growing up, Shelby dreamt of the worlds beyond Earth and took every opportunity to meet astronauts such as Wally Schirra and Buzz Aldrin. She even has a picture with her two heroes as a child; Buzz Aldrin and Buzz Lightyear. They seemed to have some things in common! You can follow her freelance journey on Instagram @mommainthevalley.