SpaceX Starship Explodes During Eighth Test Flight, Disrupting Air Traffic
A SpaceX Starship spacecraft, the upper stage of the most powerful launch system ever built, exploded during its eighth test flight on Thursday, marking the second consecutive failure for the vehicle this year and causing air traffic disruptions.
The uncrewed Starship mission lifted off at 5:30 p.m. CT (6:30 p.m. ET) from SpaceX’s Starbase facility in South Texas, atop a 232-foot-tall (71-meter-tall) Super Heavy rocket booster.
Flight Progress & Booster Catch Success
About 2 ½ minutes after launch, the Super Heavy booster successfully separated from the Starship upper stage and executed a controlled landing within the “chopstick” arms of Mechazilla, SpaceX’s launch tower near Brownsville, Texas. This marks the third successful booster catch by SpaceX.
Starship Failure & Explosion
However, less than 10 minutes into the flight, Starship began experiencing engine failures as it continued toward space. Several engines visibly shut down during SpaceX’s livestream, causing the vehicle to tumble out of control before the company lost contact.
"Once you lose enough of those center engines, you’re going to lose attitude control," said Dan Huot, SpaceX’s communications manager. "We did see the ship start to go into a spin, and at this point, we have lost contact with the ship."
The loss of signal occurred around the same point as Flight 7 in January, which ended in an explosion over the Turks and Caicos Islands, scattering debris across populated areas.
Explosion Visible Across the Caribbean & Florida
It is unclear exactly where Starship exploded, but witnesses reported seeing the fireball from parts of Florida and the Caribbean.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) halted flights into Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Palm Beach, and Orlando airports due to concerns over falling space debris, suspending operations until 8 p.m. ET. Departures from Miami and Fort Lauderdale airports were also delayed, with average wait times of 30 to 45 minutes.
Safety Measures in Place
SpaceX emphasized that strict safety protocols are in effect to protect the public.
"We’ve got a lot of measures in place, like debris response areas, where we coordinate very closely with air traffic control," said Huot. "These measures worked last time, and they are actively in place right now."
Despite the failure, SpaceX continues its development of Starship, which is envisioned as a key vehicle for future lunar and Mars missions.
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