SpaceX Starship Rocket Explodes in the Sky Just Minutes After Its Launch – Video
“Near the Bahamas, boat passengers witnessed the dramatic moment a SpaceX Starship erupted mid-air.”
“Additionally, the incident caused major airport disruptions as debris scattered through the air.”
“On its eighth test flight, the rocket launched from SpaceX’s Starbase facility in Texas at 5:30 p.m. Central Time on March 6, 2025.”
“At the start of the mission, everything unfolded as planned. The Super Heavy booster successfully ignited all 33 Raptor engines, propelling Starship through the initial phase of its ascent.
Around two and a half minutes into the flight, the booster shut down most of its engines in line with a pre-set sequence before separating from the upper stage.
Following separation, Starship activated six Raptor engines and continued its climb into the sky.”
“Meanwhile, the booster executed a controlled descent, reigniting most of its designated engines and achieving a precise landing in the catch arms of the launch tower.
Marking the third successful execution of this maneuver, SpaceX has now solidified it as a proven landing technique.”
“As Starship ascended toward its target altitude, a critical malfunction occurred in its rear section, causing multiple Raptor engines to fail.
Approximately nine and a half minutes after liftoff, all communication with the rocket was lost, leading to a catastrophic loss of stability.
Following an investigation, SpaceX confirmed that the vehicle had unexpectedly disintegrated. Streaks of debris illuminated the night sky as the rocket broke apart.”
“These glowing streaks extended from Florida to the Caribbean, with witnesses across multiple locations capturing the dramatic event. Some even recorded footage of the spacecraft spinning uncontrollably before breaking apart.”
“Witnesses reported seeing debris raining down from the sky. Brett Boswick, who watched the launch from a boat near the Bahamas, described the moment, saying, ‘We saw a very big explosion—a fireball.'”
“Another observer reacted to the anomaly by remarking, ‘Unfortunately, this happened the last time as well, so we’ve got some practice at this now.’
In response to the falling debris, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ordered temporary closures at major airports across Florida, including Miami International Airport and three other key hubs.
To minimize risk, the launch was conducted within a designated corridor, ensuring that any debris remained within a predefined area.”
“After some time, SpaceX confirmed that the wreckage contained no hazardous materials and was not expected to have a significant environmental impact.
Later, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced that SpaceX would be required to conduct a thorough accident investigation to determine the root cause of the failure and submit a final report for approval.”
“The agency stated that the investigation aims to enhance public safety, identify the cause of the incident, and implement corrective measures to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
SpaceX’s ability to resume flights will depend on the FAA’s confirmation that all safety concerns have been addressed and resolved.
Following the anomaly, SpaceX reported that its team immediately began working with safety regulators and analyzing flight data to determine the cause of the failure.”
“SpaceX emphasized that the data gathered from the test would be instrumental in improving Starship’s reliability for future missions.”
“Additionally, they stated that corrective actions would be implemented where necessary. This failure came less than two months after the previous Starship launch, which had also ended unsuccessfully.”
“This test flight was uncrewed, with no astronauts on board, and no injuries were reported.
Elon Musk addressed the incident on social media, simply stating, ‘Rockets are hard.’ After some time, he followed up by saying…”
“Today was a minor setback,” Musk wrote. “Time is the yardstick by which progress is measured. Within the next four to six weeks, the next ship will be ready.”
In a follow-up post, he provided further insight, stating, “To tell you the truth, it was an upper stage or ship failure. The construction of the new ship design and the flight gave us a wealth of valuable knowledge.”
“Despite the setbacks, the company remains the leader in global rocket launches and continues to focus on the development of Starship for future missions.”