The recent SpaceX Starship SN1 cryo proof failure at the Boca Chica, Texas assembly site highlights how costly and time consuming the testing process can be. Risk of expensive failures can be minimised by applying advanced engineering simulation techniques including finite element analysis (FEA) to test and refine designs in a virtual environment. When failure does occur, simulation can prove to be an invaluable tool in determining the root cause and provide guidance to designers on how to mitigate the problem.
