SpaceX Starship explodes into big ball of fire during 'routine' test

SpaceX said that the Starship was "preparing for the tenth flight test (when it) experienced a major anomaly"

PUBLISHED: Thu 19 Jun 2025, 10:44 AM

A SpaceX Starship exploded during a "routine" test late Wednesday in Texas, local law enforcement said, adding that no injuries had been reported and an investigation into the cause was underway.

"During a routine static fire test at Starbase, Texas, SpaceX's Starship 36 suffered a catastrophic failure and exploded," according to a post by the Cameron County authorities on Facebook, adding it happened shortly after 11pm (0400 GMT Thursday).

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Elon Musk's Space X said on his social media platform X that the Starship was "preparing for the tenth flight test (when it) experienced a major anomaly while on a test stand at Starbase."

On Wednesday, June 18 at approximately 11 p.m. CT, the Starship preparing for the tenth flight test experienced a major anomaly while on a test stand at Starbase. A safety clear area around the site was maintained throughout the operation and all personnel are safe and accountedâ¦
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) June 19, 2025