Boca Chica, Texas: SpaceX’s Starship rocket has suffered another explosion during a test flight, marking yet another setback for Elon Musk’s ambitious project to land astronauts on the Moon and Mars.
The 403-foot-tall rocket lifted off from Starbase in Boca Chica, Texas, at 6:30 PM ET, but lost control minutes later, spiraling into an uncontrolled descent.
This is the second failed Starship test in months, raising concerns about the spacecraft’s reliability.
Key Highlights:
Starship launched successfully but lost contact mid-flight
Rocket debris spotted over Florida and the Caribbean
FAA halts multiple flights across Florida due to safety concerns
SpaceX acknowledges “rapid unscheduled disassembly” (explosion)
Federal investigation launched into the cause of failure
Starship’s Flight Ends in Mid-Air Explosion
The massive Super Heavy booster executed a successful return to the launch pad, but Starship itself failed to complete its mission.
Engines shut down prematurely, and the spacecraft entered an out-of-control spin before exploding mid-air.
SpaceX confirmed the failure, stating:
“During Starship’s ascent burn, the vehicle experienced a rapid unscheduled disassembly, and contact was lost. Our team is working with safety officials to implement contingency plans and analyze flight data.”
While the exact location of debris remains unclear, witnesses in Florida and the Caribbean posted images of flaming wreckage falling from the sky.
FAA Confirms Flight Delays Due to SpaceX Debris
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) immediately grounded multiple flights across Florida, affecting airports in:
Miami
Fort Lauderdale
Palm Beach
Orlando
The average flight delay was reported at 45 minutes, and the FAA confirmed that it will require SpaceX to conduct a full mishap investigation before future launches.
Eyewitnesses Describe Fiery Explosion Over the Bahamas
Bret Bostwick, a biotechnology consultant, watched the launch from a catamaran near Ragged Island in the Bahamas.
“I was watching with my kids, and suddenly it turned into a giant ball of fire. No noise—just a fireball in the sky,” he told media.
“It looked like a firework show with streamers of debris. Every chunk of the ship was glowing a different color.”
SpaceX Faces Setbacks Amidst Growing Pressure
This marks the second consecutive failed Starship test, following January’s explosion over the Bahamas.
The January test flight ended eight minutes after launch, with burning debris raining down over Turks and Caicos, though no injuries were reported.
At the time, Elon Musk revealed the likely cause:
“Preliminary indication is that we had an oxygen/fuel leak in the cavity above the ship engine firewall that was large enough to build pressure in excess of the vent capacity.”
With the FAA’s ongoing investigations, SpaceX will need to address critical safety concerns before receiving approval for another Starship test flight.
What’s Next for SpaceX and Starship?
Despite setbacks, Starship remains central to NASA’s Artemis program, which aims to return humans to the Moonand later establish a permanent presence on Mars.
However, with two failed launches in three months, SpaceX faces mounting pressure to improve reliability before Starship can carry astronauts.
Will SpaceX resolve Starship’s issues before the next test flight? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
