SpaceX Crew Dragon suffers 'anomaly' during engine testing
Orange smoke was seen billowing from Landing Zone 1 during testing of the Crew Dragon capsule.
The SpaceX Crew Dragon during testing in an anechoic chamber earlier in 2018.
During testing Saturday, the SpaceX Crew Dragon, designed to ferry humans between Earth and the International Space Station (ISS), suffered "an anomaly." According to reports by Florida Today, orange plumes of smoke were seen billowing for miles from Cape Canaveral, Florida, where the testing was taking place.
"Earlier today, SpaceX conducted a series of engine tests on a Crew Dragon test vehicle on our test stand at Landing Zone 1 in Cape Canaveral, Florida," a SpaceX spokesperson said. "The initial tests completed successfully but the final test resulted in an anomaly on the test stand. Ensuring that our systems meet rigorous safety standards and detecting anomalies like this prior to flight are the main reasons why we test. Our teams are investigating and working closely with our NASA partners."
A spokesman for the 45th Space Wing, which commands Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, confirmed to Florida Today that no one was injured.
NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine responded to the incident with a short statement on Twitter Saturday.
NASA has been notified about the results of the @SpaceX Static Fire Test and the anomaly that occurred during the final test. We will work closely to ensure we safely move forward with our Commercial Crew Program. pic.twitter.com/yE2J5yGzA7
— Jim Bridenstine (@JimBridenstine) April 21, 2019
The Crew Dragon successfully rendezvoused with the space station on March 8, during an uncrewed test launch. SpaceX has been preparing the Crew Dragon capsule for a crewed flight to the ISS, which is currently scheduled for sometime in July. As part of the routine testing and safety requirements, the Crew Dragon first has to complete an "in-flight abort test," where the crew capsule is jettisoned from the rocket by a set of boosters.
It's currently unclear how the anomaly will affect future flights of the Crew Dragon, but it's reasonable to suggest such an incident will delay the launch of a crewed SpaceX flight by months.
Originally posted April 20, 4:09 p.m. PT
Updated 6:14 p.m. PT: Adds NASA Administrator statement