SpaceX lost another Starship rocket late Thursday night when the spacecraft exploded during ground testing in Texas. The second-generation upper stage was preparing for a static fire test before its planned Flight 10 mission. Fire erupted at the top of the vehicle and quickly spread across the entire rocket. The explosion happened around 11 PM and created a massive fireball because the ship was loaded with fuel for testing.
This marks another failure for SpaceX's troubled Starship program. The company has not completed a successful test flight with its new design. Two previous flights ended in explosions earlier this year, and a third flight last month failed during atmospheric reentry. The rocket was scheduled to fly as early as June 29 according to federal aviation officials.
SpaceX confirmed all workers remained safe after the blast. The company said it was cleaning the test site to remove any dangerous materials. Ground facilities at the Texas location may have suffered major damage from the explosion. SpaceX has multiple rockets ready for future tests but may wait for investigation results before proceeding.
Company CEO Elon Musk called the incident just a scratch on social media. Engineering director Shana Diez described it as a difficult test night. SpaceX continues developing a third-generation Starship that may solve current design problems.
This marks another failure for SpaceX's troubled Starship program. The company has not completed a successful test flight with its new design. Two previous flights ended in explosions earlier this year, and a third flight last month failed during atmospheric reentry. The rocket was scheduled to fly as early as June 29 according to federal aviation officials.
SpaceX confirmed all workers remained safe after the blast. The company said it was cleaning the test site to remove any dangerous materials. Ground facilities at the Texas location may have suffered major damage from the explosion. SpaceX has multiple rockets ready for future tests but may wait for investigation results before proceeding.
Company CEO Elon Musk called the incident just a scratch on social media. Engineering director Shana Diez described it as a difficult test night. SpaceX continues developing a third-generation Starship that may solve current design problems.
