On Wednesday night, Elon Musk’s SpaceX Starship erupted in a massive fireball during routine testing, reminiscent for nearby residents who, just moments later, felt their homes shake from the force of the blast.
The explosion, which occurred shortly after 11 PM local time, was tied to the preparations for the 10th flight test of Ship 36 at the Texas Starbase close to Bocachica Beach.
Officials reported a “major anomaly” as the reusable super heavy lift vehicle was being positioned on the test stand.
A live stream from the SpaceX facility showcased the explosion: it started with a fireball emerging from the rocket’s top, transformed into a blinding flash, and illuminated the dark sky.
In the aftermath, the rocket and test stands were no longer standing upright, leaving debris scattered across the site.
SpaceX has assured that a safety zone was established and confirmed no injuries had been reported among staff members.
“Our Starbase team is working alongside local officials to secure both the test site and its surrounding areas,” the company stated on X.
Residents reported not feeling in danger due to the explosion, yet many did experience the impact from their homes.
One neighbor expressed, “Everyone in our area felt it; we all rushed outside to see what had happened because our houses shook.”
Starbase sits about 22 miles east of Brownsville.
Another local, Juan Martinez, witnessed the event from a nearby beach and described hearing a “huge boom.” He reached out on Facebook, urging others to check on their family members working at the facility.
Following the explosion, flames continued to rage at the site.
This incident marks yet another setback for private space enterprises exploring new frontiers.
In a prior test flight in May, the spacecraft achieved orbit but ultimately disintegrated upon re-entry into the Earth’s atmosphere.
This mishap followed a series of failures documented during the seventh and eighth flight attempts.
Earlier this year, on March 6, Starship experienced an explosion just ten minutes after launch, although its super heavy booster was successfully caught.
Reports indicated that several engines malfunctioned just 20 seconds prior to the completion of that ascent.
In January, a propellant leak led to another disaster where the rocket fell apart upon ascent, resulting in an explosion.
Despite these failures, both missions managed to bring the ultra-heavy booster back to the Texas launchpad, where it was caught by mechanical devices known colloquially as “chopsticks.”
Designed for rapid and complete reusability, the Starship aims to significantly reduce costs and resources for SpaceX, ultimately facilitating journeys to the Moon and Mars.
As of now, Elon Musk has yet to publicly address the explosion that occurred Wednesday night.
