A SpaceX Starship rocket exploded late Wednesday during a ground test at the company’s Starbase facility in southern Texas. It’s yet another high-profile setback for the Elon Musk-ran company.
The explosion occurred around 11 p.m. while the rocket was on a test stand in preparation for its tenth flight. A fireball lit up the night sky, but no injuries were reported.
“A safety clear area around the site was maintained throughout the operation and all personnel are safe and accounted for,” the company said in a statement posted to X, formerly Twitter. SpaceX added that it is working with local authorities to secure the site and assess damage.
There was no immediate threat to nearby communities, according to the company, which urged the public to avoid the area while response efforts continue.
The incident follows several failed Starship tests. In January, a vehicle broke apart near the Caribbean. In March, contact was lost with another Starship during a test flight over Florida. Weeks later, a 403-foot rocket spun out of control and crashed in the Indian Ocean after a malfunction prevented its payload doors from opening.
Despite the repeated failures, CEO Elon Musk has remained optimistic, calling the March launch “a big improvement” and pledging to increase launch frequency in coming months.
Starship is central to SpaceX’s long-term goals, including missions to the Moon and Mars.
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