"Booster 18 suffered an anomaly during gas system pressure testing that we were conducting in advance of structural proof testing. No propellant was on the vehicle, and engines were not yet installed. The teams need time to investigate before we are confident of the cause. No one was injured as we maintain a safe distance for personnel during this type of testing. The site remains clear and we are working plans to safely reenter the site."
As of when the photos were taken, the stage was still standing, but with a large hole in the side. Typically propellant tanks which rupture result in more complete collapse.. but this test involved only gas pressurization and no propellant.
NSF site blocked by cloudflare. CF joins the race to be one of the most hated companies around. Meanwhile, what gas system were they testing? Was it the propellant tank pressurization, or of a smaller subsystem? The rupture seems to be pretty substantial.
https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2025/11/booster-18-anomaly-p...
Official SpaceX statement:
"Booster 18 suffered an anomaly during gas system pressure testing that we were conducting in advance of structural proof testing. No propellant was on the vehicle, and engines were not yet installed. The teams need time to investigate before we are confident of the cause. No one was injured as we maintain a safe distance for personnel during this type of testing. The site remains clear and we are working plans to safely reenter the site."
https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1991889258701885702
As of when the photos were taken, the stage was still standing, but with a large hole in the side. Typically propellant tanks which rupture result in more complete collapse.. but this test involved only gas pressurization and no propellant.