TEXAS: A SpaceX Starship rocket, designated Starship 36, exploded late Wednesday night during a routine ground test at the company’s Starbase facility in southern Texas. Fortunately, no injuries were reported, as safety protocols were effectively in place and successfully executed.
The explosion occurred shortly after 11:00 p.m. local time (0400 GMT Thursday), according to Cameron County officials and a statement released by SpaceX. The rocket was being prepared for its tenth flight test when it experienced what the company described as a “major anomaly.”
“All safety procedures were followed, and a safety perimeter was maintained around the test site,” SpaceX stated on social media. “There is no threat to surrounding communities, and we advise the public to avoid approaching the area while recovery and safing operations are ongoing.”
Located along the Texas-Mexico border, SpaceX’s Starbase serves as the central hub for Elon Musk’s ambitious space program. The Starship rocket — standing 403 feet (123 meters) tall — is the most powerful launch vehicle ever constructed and is key to Musk’s long-term vision of sending humans to Mars.
Wednesday’s explosion marks another setback for the Starship development program. On May 27, another prototype was lost when its Super Heavy booster failed to perform a controlled splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico, resulting in disintegration over the Indian Ocean. Several earlier tests also ended in failure, including upper-stage malfunctions and mid-air breakups.
Despite these setbacks, SpaceX remains committed to refining its next-generation reusable rocket system, which is designed to carry heavy payloads and support future deep-space missions. Engineers are continuing to analyze test data to identify root causes and improve reliability.
SpaceX has not announced when the next test flight will be scheduled.
