Boca Chica, Texas – SpaceX‘s ambitious Starship program faced a dramatic setback late Wednesday night when a test prototype exploded at the company’s Starbase facility. The incident occurred around 11 p.m. local time as the rocket was being prepped for its much-anticipated tenth flight test.
In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter), SpaceX confirmed:
“The Starship preparing for the tenth flight test experienced a major anomaly while on a test stand at Starbase.”
The explosion lit up the night sky and was captured live on several livestreams monitoring the facility, sending shockwaves through the aerospace community and prompting concerns over the test program’s future timelines.
Despite the fiery mishap, SpaceX reassured the public that no injuries were reported.
“A safety clear area around the site was maintained throughout the operation and all personnel are safe and accounted for,” the company added.
SpaceX emphasized that the surrounding communities were not at risk.
“Our Starbase team is actively working to safe the test site and the immediate surrounding area in conjunction with local officials. There are no hazards to residents in surrounding communities, and we ask that individuals do not attempt to approach the area while safing operations continue.”
The cause of the explosion is currently unknown. However, such events, while dramatic, are not unusual in the early stages of high-risk aerospace development, especially with next-generation spacecraft like Starship — which is being designed for missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.
This marks a pivotal moment for SpaceX, which has conducted multiple high-altitude and orbital test flights of Starship, gradually refining its engineering and safety protocols.
SpaceX is expected to release a detailed incident report after a thorough investigation.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment or operational advice.
