SpaceX Starship Explodes During Test in South Texas
▼ Summary
– SpaceX’s Starship rocket exploded during a ground test in Texas, marking another setback after three recent failures.
– The explosion destroyed the upper stage of the rocket and caused fires near SpaceX’s test site, visible from miles away.
– The incident occurred during preparations for a static fire test, with the rocket experiencing a “major anomaly” before engine ignition.
– No injuries were reported, as the area was evacuated, and local firefighters responded to the scene.
– SpaceX’s planned June 29 test flight is now delayed indefinitely due to the explosion.
SpaceX’s ambitious Starship program suffered another setback when a prototype rocket exploded during ground testing in South Texas late Wednesday evening. The dramatic failure marks the fourth consecutive mishap for the company’s next-generation launch system, raising fresh questions about the program’s timeline.
Witnesses reported a massive fireball erupting from SpaceX’s Massey’s Test Site near Boca Chica Beach shortly after 11 PM local time. The explosion completely destroyed Ship 36, a 160-foot-tall upper stage vehicle that was undergoing critical pre-flight testing. Independent spaceflight observers captured the incident on live streams, showing flames engulfing the test stand and surrounding area.
According to SpaceX officials, the incident occurred during preparations for a static fire test—a routine procedure where engines are briefly ignited while the rocket remains secured to the ground. The company described the event as a “major anomaly” that happened while loading cryogenic methane and liquid oxygen propellants. Emergency responders from nearby Brownsville quickly contained secondary fires that broke out around the test complex.
SpaceX assured the public that all personnel had been safely evacuated before the test and no injuries occurred. The company’s statement emphasized that surrounding communities faced no danger from the incident, though residents up to 30 miles away reported hearing the explosion and seeing the bright flash.
This latest failure comes at a challenging moment for the Starship program. Just hours before the explosion, regulatory filings had indicated SpaceX was targeting June 29 for its next orbital test attempt, a schedule now clearly in doubt. Engineers will need to assess the damage and determine what caused the failure before proceeding with future tests.
The Starbase facility remains active with recovery operations as teams work to secure the test site. SpaceX maintains an aggressive development schedule for Starship, which plays a central role in NASA’s Artemis moon missions and Elon Musk’s vision for Mars colonization. However, each setback underscores the immense technical challenges of building the world’s most powerful rocket system.
(Source: Ars Technica)
