SpaceX’s massive Super Heavy booster made its way back to the launch pad after successfully propelling the Starship spacecraft toward space during its eighth test flight at the company’s Boca Chica site in Brownsville, Texas, on March 6, 2025. (REUTERS/Joe Skipper)
SpaceX’s ambitious Starship project faced another setback as the massive spacecraft exploded in space just minutes after launch from Texas on Thursday. This marks the second failure this year for Elon Musk’s Mars rocket program, raising concerns about its rapid development pace.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) temporarily halted air traffic in parts of Florida following the explosion. Videos circulating online captured fiery debris streaking across the sky near South Florida and the Bahamas. SpaceX’s live stream showed the Starship upper stage spinning uncontrollably with its engines failing before communication was lost.
Meanwhile, debris was seen streaking across the sky over Big Sampson Cay in the Bahamas after the Starship spacecraft lost control and exploded in space. The moment was captured in a social media video. (Screen grab via @ericloosen/REUTERS)
This failure follows another Starship test flight that also ended in an explosion just last month. Both mishaps occurred early in the flight phases, which SpaceX had previously navigated successfully. These back-to-back failures pose challenges for Musk’s goal of sending humans to Mars by the next decade.
The 403-foot rocket lifted off from SpaceX’s Boca Chica launch facility at around 6:30 p.m. ET. The Super Heavy booster, which powers the initial phase of the launch, successfully detached and was caught mid-air by a SpaceX crane. However, minutes later, the Starship upper stage lost control, showing signs of engine failure. SpaceX spokesperson Dan Huot acknowledged the repeated issue on the live stream, noting that the team had “some practice” handling such situations.
In an official statement, SpaceX explained that Starship experienced a failure in its aft section, leading to multiple engine shutdowns. The loss of attitude control ultimately caused a total communication blackout about nine and a half minutes into the flight. The company assured that no toxic materials were present in the debris.
Earlier, SpaceX’s Starship, mounted on the Super Heavy booster, lifted off for its eighth test flight from the Boca Chica launch site in Texas. (REUTERS/Joe Skipper)
A similar failure in January resulted in Starship exploding eight minutes into the flight, scattering debris across the Caribbean and even damaging a car in the Turks and Caicos Islands. The FAA has now launched another investigation, requiring SpaceX to determine the cause and receive regulatory approval before the next launch.
Despite these challenges, SpaceX remains committed to perfecting Starship, which is designed for long-haul space travel, including missions to the Moon and Mars. Thursday’s test aimed to complete nearly a full orbit around Earth before re-entering over the Indian Ocean. If successful, this would have simulated a future landing sequence for the rocket’s next phase of development.
With its latest setback, SpaceX faces renewed scrutiny over its aggressive testing approach. The FAA had only recently approved Thursday’s launch while still reviewing the January failure. Now, the company must address safety concerns before attempting another test flight.
