SpaceX’s ambitious Starship program suffered a major setback late Wednesday night when one of its prototypes, Ship 36, exploded during a ground test at the company’s Starbase facility in Boca Chica, Texas.
The dramatic incident unfolded around 11 p.m. local time, during what was supposed to be a routine static fire test, a critical step in the lead-up to Starship’s anticipated 10th test flight. The explosion, which was caught on multiple livestreams, sent shockwaves through the space community and once again highlighted the inherent risks of developing next-generation spaceflight technology.
“Major Anomaly” Confirmed by SpaceX
In an official statement posted on X (formerly Twitter), SpaceX confirmed that Ship 36 “experienced a major anomaly while on a test stand at Starbase.” The company emphasized that a “safety clear area around the site was maintained throughout the operation, and all personnel are safe and accounted for.”
“We are actively working to save the test site and the immediate surrounding area in conjunction with local officials,” the statement read. “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.”
Explosion Caught on Livestreams
The explosion was broadcast in real time across several livestreams of the Starbase facility. One popular feed by NASASpaceflight captured the dramatic moment, with a viewer exclaiming, “Whoa! Whoa! No. Oh, my God,” as a massive fireball erupted from the test stand.
Cameron County Constable Precinct 1 also shared the livestream on Facebook, further confirming the event. According to the caption on the stream, the test was meant to be “the second in this series of testing for flight 10.”
No Threat to Surrounding Communities
Despite the size of the explosion, local officials and SpaceX representatives were quick to reassure the public that the event posed no danger to nearby residents. No injuries have been reported, and initial assessments indicate that the blast was contained within SpaceX’s test area.
Program Implications and Next Steps
The Starship program, which SpaceX hopes will one day carry astronauts to the Moon and Mars under NASA’s Artemis program, has seen both spectacular successes and notable failures during its rapid development cycle. Ship 36 was expected to play a key role in the program’s next phase of testing.
While SpaceX has not provided details on how the failure might affect its timelines, industry watchers suggest that the company’s agile engineering approach will likely see lessons quickly incorporated into future builds.
Meanwhile, the White House is reportedly reviewing SpaceX’s federal contracts, though this review is said to be unrelated to the explosion and more connected to recent political headlines involving SpaceX founder Elon Musk.
As investigations continue, the space community and the world will be watching closely to see how SpaceX rebounds from this latest challenge.
