SpaceX Starship Explodes After Losing Contact in Test Flight

A SpaceX Starship rocket experienced an explosion shortly after launch during its eighth test flight, leading to airport closures and alerts regarding falling debris.

This uncrewed mission represented another key milestone for SpaceX, but it faced a setback described by the company as a “rapid unscheduled disassembly” during its ascent. Fortunately, no injuries were reported, but fiery debris was seen plummeting into the Caribbean Sea, raising safety concerns in nearby areas.

Photo: Reuters

As a result of the incident, flights were delayed at Miami International Airport (MIA) and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL).

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) imposed temporary flight restrictions following the incident, with some departures from MIA being delayed due to falling debris. Greg Chin, the Communications Director at MIA, stated, “Some flights at MIA are experiencing delays due to debris from the SpaceX launch over the Atlantic Ocean.”

The FAA later designated a “Debris Response Area,” which temporarily slowed or halted aircraft departures in the affected zones. “Normal operations have resumed,” the FAA reported. This protocol is activated when space vehicle debris falls outside established hazard areas, allowing the FAA to safely reroute aircraft away from danger.

The 123-meter (403-foot) Starship was designed for a one-hour flight, intending to re-enter Earth’s orbit over the Indian Ocean.

However, the rocket lost contact with ground control shortly after liftoff. While the Super Heavy booster successfully returned to the launch pad, the spacecraft itself lost control, leading to its dramatic failure.

The spacecraft, having reached an altitude of nearly 90 miles, failed to deploy its dummy satellites as planned and descended back to Earth, with its exact landing spot still unknown.

In response to the incident, SpaceX acknowledged the issue on X (formerly Twitter), stating, “During Starship’s ascent burn, the vehicle experienced a rapid unscheduled disassembly and we lost contact. Our team immediately initiated coordination with safety officials to carry out pre-planned contingency measures.”

Despite this setback, SpaceX successfully retrieved the first-stage booster using mechanical arms at the launch pad. The company also indicated that it would analyze data from the failed test to identify the cause of the malfunction and enhance the reliability of future Starship missions.

This Starship test flight is part of SpaceX’s ongoing roadmap to develop next-generation spacecraft capable of supporting missions to the Moon and Mars. Although this failure represents a significant hurdle, the company is committed to continuing Starship tests with ambitions to land astronauts on the Moon later this decade. SpaceX has been steadily improving the rocket’s design, including modifications to its flaps, fuel systems, and onboard computer systems. The company has also recently received FAA approval for upcoming launches.

Photo: Reuters

This failed test flight marks the second major setback for the Starship program. The previous test flight, which took place nearly two months ago, also ended unsuccessfully when debris fell over the Turks and Caicos Islands. An investigation following that incident revealed that a fuel system leak caused flames that shut down the rocket’s engines during flight.