NASA is developing new explosion safety testing protocols for next-generation commercial rockets powered by liquid oxygen and methane propulsion systems. As commercial launch providers advance this propulsion technology, spacecraft are scaling to carry millions of pounds of propellant, requiring comprehensive safety analysis.
NASA engineers are leveraging decades of cryogenic and test operations expertise to understand the safety profile of these larger methane-powered systems. The testing focuses on explosion data collection to inform safety protocols for the growing commercial space industry.