After investigating the causes of an unexpected rocket explosion in September, SpaceX says it is finally ready to launch rockets again.
In a statement posted on its website, the company says they’ve isolated the problem that led to the September 1 explosion: a buildup of oxygen in the aluminum liner likely led to the failure of one of three composite overwrapped pressure vessels. They also said they’ve devised solutions to avoid these conditions and make sure a similar explosion doesn’t happen again.
The conclusion comes after an investigation that included experts from NASA, the FAA, the U.S. Air Force and the National Transportation Safety Board. Experts pored over 93 milliseconds of footage and worked through an “extensive fault tree analysis” to conclude what went wrong.
Space X’s next rocket launch will be Jan. 8, from Vandenberg’s Space Launch Complex.
