SpaceX's Starship spacecraft exploded in space on Thursday, just minutes after launching from Boca Chica, Texas. This marks the second consecutive failure for Elon Musk’s Mars rocket program this year.
Social media videos showed fiery debris streaking across the sky near South Florida and the Bahamas after Starship lost control and its engines shut down. SpaceX’s live stream confirmed the loss of communication about 9 minutes and 30 seconds after liftoff, reports Reuters.
The 403-foot rocket is crucial to Musk’s goal of sending humans to Mars by the 2030s. However, this latest failure follows January’s explosion, which scattered debris over the Caribbean.
In response, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued temporary ground stops at major Florida airports, citing “space launch debris.” The agency also launched an investigation, requiring SpaceX to determine the cause before another test flight.
Starship lifted off around 6:30 p.m. ET (2330 GMT). Its Super Heavy booster successfully returned and was caught by a SpaceX crane. But the upper stage spun out of control before breaking apart. SpaceX later said an "energetic event" in the aft section led to engine failures and loss of control.
Starship was supposed to complete a nearly full orbit before splashing down in the Indian Ocean, simulating a future landing sequence. Despite setbacks, SpaceX aims to accelerate Starship's development, pending FAA approval.
Bd-pratidin English/FNC
