SpaceX says a giant propellant tank it developed as part of its Mars mission architecture passed a key early test. The carbon-fiber tank completed a set of pressure tests performed on a barge the week of Nov. 7, according to a brief statement from the company. SpaceX CEO Eton Musk said in October that the test would take the tank up to two-thirds of its burst pressure. The tank is a key element of the interplanetary spaceship, capable of landing on Mars and carrying up to 100 people, that Musk unveiled in a talk in September.
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