SpaceX's Starship explodes in flight test

[ztirffritz]

This was a 2nd version of Starship that had design changes. Apparently there was an O2 leak between the O2 tank and the bulkhead that was significant enough to exceed the capacity of the vents in that area. I don't know if they initiated the auto-destruct or if it handled that, um, autonomously. The question needs to be asked though if they should initiate an autodestruct sequence. If the ship is otherwise intact and still has the ability to self de-orbit is it better to direct it in 1 piece over the ocean than to create a debris field of stainless steel near populated Caribbean islands.