SpaceX’s Starship Fails Again, Explodes Mid-Air Within Minutes of Launch
Elon Musk’s SpaceX has suffered another setback as its mega-rocket, Starship, failed just ten minutes after liftoff, losing contact with Earth before catching fire. This marks the second failed launch within just two months. Following the explosion, debris was seen scattering across the sky, prompting a temporary suspension of air traffic in Florida and nearby areas.
This is the second Starship explosion this year. Just two months ago, another Starship suffered a similar fate. The failure is being marked as a major setback for SpaceX, the aerospace company owned by billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, a close associate of former U.S. President Donald Trump.
The 403-foot rocket was launched from Boca Chica, Texas, at 6:30 PM local time on Thursday. The initial phase of the launch proceeded without issues, with the booster successfully detaching and returning toward Earth. However, shortly after, the remaining part of the Starship began to spin uncontrollably. Multiple engines shut down during the live stream, and eventually, the rocket exploded mid-air. Within minutes, social media was flooded with videos of the explosion, reportedly visible over South Florida and the Bahamas. Despite the setback, SpaceX has not officially declared the mission a complete failure.
During SpaceX’s live event, spokesperson Dan Huot remarked, "Unfortunately, the same thing happened last time. We’re getting a bit of practice." In response to the failure, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has instructed SpaceX to conduct an investigation to prevent future recurrences.
Elon Musk had previously announced plans to accelerate space exploration by 2025. However, consecutive failures could impact those ambitions. The January launch also ended in disaster when the rocket broke apart eight minutes after liftoff, scattering debris over the Caribbean islands. Reports confirmed minor damage to a car in the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Musk has set a goal to send humans to Mars by the end of this decade, with Starship being a crucial component of that mission.
