Elon Musk’s ambitious space project, Starship, has suffered a huge setback after its seventh test flight ended in disaster.
The rocket, which was launched from southern Texas, exploded just minutes into its flight, sending debris crashing down over the Caribbean.
Watch the Explosion: Footage Shared on Social Media
The explosion was caught on camera and shared on social media platform X by Elon Musk himself, with the caption “Success is uncertain, but entertainment is guaranteed!”
The footage shows the rocket burning up and streaking across the sky in the Turks and Caicos Islands as it re-entered the atmosphere.
What Happened During the Test Flight?
According to SpaceX, the rocket “experienced a rapid unscheduled disassembly during its ascent burn.”
The company’s teams are currently reviewing data from the test flight to determine the root cause of the explosion.
The rocket was supposed to soar across the Gulf of Mexico from Texas and orbit the Earth, releasing 10 dummy satellites along the way.
However, the rocket itself vanished, and crews lost contact with it about eight and a half minutes into the flight.
The Aftermath: Air Traffic Rerouted and Investigation Underway
The explosion forced nearby air traffic to be rerouted away from the area, and an investigation is currently underway to determine what went wrong.
SpaceX spokesman Dan Huot said, “It was great to see a booster come down, but we are obviously bummed out about the ship.” The company will take time to analyze the data and determine the cause of the explosion.
The Future of Starship: A Step Back for Elon Musk’s Mars Ambitions
The explosion is a significant setback for Elon Musk’s goal of building a fully reusable spacecraft capable of carrying humans to Mars.
The Starship prototype had been heavily modified since its last test flight in November 2023, and SpaceX had made upgrades to the booster “catch” tower.
Despite the setback, Elon Musk remains committed to his vision, and the company will likely learn from this failure and move forward with its plans.