According to SpaceX, the uncrewed spacecraft lost touch with the Earth following a rapid unscheduled disassembly during its ascent. The SpaceX starship explosion occurred shortly after launching from Texas on Thursday, stopping flights and causing warnings about falling debris.
The SpaceX starship, the largest rocket ever built, spiraled out of control shortly after liftoff before disintegrating mid-air. Images from the Caribbean show flaming debris flying across the sky, but no reports of damage or casualties have been reported.
The 123-meter spacecraft was scheduled to return to Earth’s atmosphere over the Indian Ocean after a one-hour test flight. The main spacecraft failed, SpaceX’s second straight test failure; however, the Super Heavy rocket made a safer return to the launchpad.
The Starship program, essential to Elon Musk’s plans to colonize Mars, underwent its eighth test with this launch. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) temporarily grounded flights at multiple Florida airports, including Miami and Orlando, due to falling debris risks.
Authorities in the Turks and Caicos Islands confirmed they were in contact with SpaceX and US officials to assess any risks. SpaceX announced that teams were reviewing flight data to determine what caused the explosion, which followed the failure of several engines.
NASA still plans to use a modified Starship for its Artemis missions, but repeated failures raise concerns about the rocket’s future. The SpaceX Starship explosion highlights the challenges the company faces in achieving its long-term goals for deep space exploration.
