---
title: "There’s a Robodog Walking Around the Site of the SpaceX Starship Explosion"
description: "SpaceX's Boston Dynamics robodog named \"Zeus\" was spotted sniffing around the site of the recent Starship SN10 test and explosion."
date: "2021-03-04"
modified: "2021-03-04"
authors:
  - name: "Dan Robitzski"
    link: "https://futurism.com/authors/danrobitzski"
url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/robodog-site-spacex-starship-explosion"
categories:
  - "Robot Dogs"
  - "Robotics"
  - "Robots and Machines"
  - "Space"
  - "SpaceX"
  - "Starship"
tags:
  - "boston dynamics"
  - "robot"
  - "SpaceX"
  - "Starship"
  - "the digest"
---

# There’s a Robodog Walking Around the Site of the SpaceX Starship Explosion

![SpaceX's Boston Dynamics robodog named "Zeus" was spotted sniffing around the site of the recent Starship SN10 test and explosion.](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/robodog.jpg>)
*\<em\>Image: @TrevorMahlmann via Twitter / Futurism\</em\>*

## Strutting Around

SpaceX came closer than ever before to a successful Starship test launch on Wednesday evening, just to see the SN10 prototype [explode in a gigantic fireball](<https://futurism.com/spacex-starship-prototype-lands-explodes-minutes-later>) minutes after an otherwise-successful landing.

A day later, SpaceX is still in cleanup mode, with teams of workers [retrieving various rocket parts](<https://twitter.com/TrevorMahlmann/status/1367545829498707970>) and picking up after the explosion. But the company also got a helping hand from Zeus, SpaceX's Boston Dynamics robodog, which *Ars Technica* photographer [Trevor Mahlmann spotted](<https://twitter.com/TrevorMahlmann/status/1367544622285742087>) on the scene, surveying the explosion site.

https://twitter.com/TrevorMahlmann/status/1367544622285742087

## Little Helper

SpaceX has previously used the $75,000 robot dog to inspect test sites or other areas that aren't safe for humans, [according to *SpaceExplored*](<https://spaceexplored.com/2021/02/26/spacex-robot-dog-starship/>).

Zeus can safely check on gas leaks or other hazards, especially those related to SpaceX's slew of [exploded Starship prototypes](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/another-spacex-starship-humongous-explosion>), and has been rewarded with [its own doghouse](<https://twitter.com/Cooper_Hime/status/1273245523944890368>) near the Boca Chica, Texas launch pad.

https://twitter.com/Cooper_Hime/status/1273245523944890368

## Keeping Busy

Last week, [Zeus was spotted](<https://twitter.com/thejackbeyer/status/1364674304059793414?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1364674304059793414%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fspaceexplored.com%2F2021%2F02%2F26%2Fspacex-robot-dog-starship%2F>) bounding around the SpaceX landing pad, though it's not clear exactly what it was up to.

But presumably it's a bit busier this time around, as it sniffs around the explosion to help SpaceX make sense of what went wrong and how to pick up the pieces.

https://twitter.com/thejackbeyer/status/1364674304059793414

**More on the SN10 launch:** *[SpaceX’s Third Starship Prototype Lands, Explodes Minutes Later](<https://futurism.com/spacex-starship-prototype-lands-explodes-minutes-later>)*

## Author
Dan Robitzki is a senior reporter for Futurism, where he likes to cover AI, tech ethics, and medicine. He spends his extra time fencing and streaming games from Los Angeles, California.

### Author social links  
[Twitter](<https://x.com/danrobitzski>)