SpaceX makes a splash
On July 28, SpaceX performed a full-pressure test of its Starship flame deflector—basically, an oversized upside-down shower head. Once operational, the system will work to suppress Starship’s power, which produces nearly 17 million pounds of thrust at launch. The megarocket performed its inaugural launch in April without the benefit of a deluge system, resulting in tremendous damage to the pad and the spewing of rocks and dust into the surrounding areas.
