Rocket, which was undergoing testing while stationary, suddenly erupts into a fireball during a livestream
WASHINGTON: (UrduPoint/Pakistan Point News-June 19th, 2025) Elon Musk’s company SpaceX suffered a major setback when its Starship rocket exploded during a static fire test at the Starbase facility in Boca Chica, Texas.
The rocket, which was undergoing testing while stationary, suddenly erupted into a fireball during a livestream. The dramatic explosion has significantly lowered the likelihood of the rocket being launched into space later this month.
This incident marks yet another failure in the Starship program, with this being the ninth unsuccessful test flight of the spacecraft. Each prior attempt has ended in failure due to various technical issues. The rocket has yet to complete a single test flight successfully. The tenth test flight, which was scheduled for June, now seems unlikely to proceed as planned.
In a statement, SpaceX confirmed that no injuries occurred and nearby residential areas were not damaged. The company noted that the explosion was caused by a malfunction but did not provide specific details. The team has been mobilized to ensure safety in the testing area.
Experts speculate that the blast may have been caused by a fuel leak from the rocket’s fuel tank.
Starship is considered the most powerful rocket ever built, consisting of two main components: the Super Heavy booster with 33 engines and the Starship spacecraft mounted above it. The rocket is 120 meters tall, weighs 5 million kilograms, and is designed to be reusable.
SpaceX has already signed a contract with NASA under which Starship will transport astronauts to the Moon for the first time in decades as part of the Artemis III mission. The continued failures of Starship now pose serious challenges for this ambitious space program.
