How SpaceX used a Robot Dog to inspect Starship after an engine test

SpaceX has now even involved man’s best friend as part of their engine testing. Just to be clear, they didn’t use an actual dog. Instead, they used a robot dog called Spot that is being developed by Boston Dynamics.

SpaceX has at least two of these dogs at their launch at Star Base in Boca Chica, Texas. The Spot was used for an onsite inspection after a static fire test of Starship SN20 on 19th October. During the pre-burner test, the giant Raptor Vacuum appeared to ignite several pieces of pad hardware. So, engineers at SpaceX used Spot to physically walk to the scorching test pad and check for damage and secondary fires.

Robot Dogs like Spot will be used in the future to reach places that are too hazardous for humans. Think of things like radioactive zones or very hot areas. In fact, Spot’s many use cases are to be used as a search and rescue dog after an earthquake or natural disaster.