SpaceX Starship Explodes During Static Fire Test
Fourth Consecutive Failure This Year
The spacecraft of SpaceX, the space exploration company led by Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, exploded during a test.
On June 19 (local time), AP and other outlets reported that at around 11 p.m. the previous day, SpaceX's spacecraft "Starship 36," which was preparing for its tenth test launch at the Starbase facility on Boca Chica Beach, Texas, exploded.
After the explosion, SpaceX announced on X (formerly Twitter) that "Starship showed a major anomaly while preparing for its tenth test flight."
The company emphasized, "A safety perimeter was maintained around the site during operations, and all personnel are safe." It also stated, "We are working with local authorities to ensure safety in the surrounding area," and requested, "There is no danger to nearby residents, but please refrain from approaching the area while recovery operations are underway."
Authorities in Cameron County, Texas, also announced on Facebook that "a catastrophic failure occurred with Starship 36, resulting in an explosion during a routine static fire test at Starbase." A static fire test refers to a procedure in which the rocket's engines are ignited sequentially while the rocket remains fixed to the launch pad.
Footage released that day showed smoke rising around the SpaceX rocket on the launch pad, followed by a loud explosion and a pillar of fire. The explosion appeared to occur in two separate instances, engulfing the area in flames. Some media outlets estimated that not only the rocket but also the test facilities were likely damaged by the explosion.
CEO Musk founded SpaceX in 2002 with the goal of "making humanity a multiplanetary species by sending people to live on Mars in the event of a crisis on Earth," and has been developing the large Starship spacecraft and rocket for Mars exploration. Of the ten test flights attempted so far, four consecutive failures have occurred just this year. The seventh and eighth test flights, conducted in January and March, both ended with the rocket exploding in midair less than ten minutes after launch, dealing a significant blow to SpaceX. In addition, the ninth orbital test flight of Starship, which took place on May 27, also ended in failure.
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