The event occurred at approximately 11 p.m. local time on Wednesday, June 18, as the spacecraft was getting ready for its 10th test flight.
A SpaceX rocket has erupted in flames during a testing phase in Texas.
In footage released by NasaSpaceFlight.com on X on Wednesday, June 18, the rocket was observed exploding at Starbase, SpaceX’s launch facility located in southern Texas, producing a significant fireball that ascended into the sky.
SpaceX reported that the Starship rocket “encountered a major anomaly while situated on a test stand at Starbase” as it was gearing up for its 10th flight test, according to a post on X.
“A safety clearance area around the site was upheld throughout the operation, and all personnel are safe and accounted for,” the post further stated. “Our Starbase team is diligently working to secure the test site and the immediate vicinity in collaboration with local authorities.”
The company also indicated that there are “no hazards to residents in nearby communities.” “We request that individuals refrain from approaching the area while safety operations are ongoing,” the post concluded.
The incident occurred around 11 p.m. local time.
Elon Musk, the founder and CEO of SpaceX, has not provided a separate comment regarding the incident.
This is not the first occasion a SpaceX rocket has faced difficulties during testing. On May 27, the ninth flight test of the Starship did not proceed as planned following liftoff at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. As previously reported by PEOPLE, although the vehicle successfully achieved Earth’s orbit, an apparent propellant leak resulted in a loss of altitude. According to ABC News, the spacecraft began to spin uncontrollably, and mission control lost the ability to manage it.
Debris from the rocket descended into the Indian Ocean, as reported by The New York Times.
Two months prior, the eighth flight test of Starship concluded with another rocket explosion, which resulted in the grounding of planes at several airports in Florida. The rocket detonated after liftoff in Texas on March 6. (Its seventh test flight, conducted in January, also culminated in an explosion.) Starship is part of 53-year-old Musk’s latest initiative aimed at sending humans to Mars by 2026.
