A dramatic explosion rocked SpaceX’s Starbase facility in Texas late Wednesday night, as the Starship 36 prototype, preparing for its tenth flight test, suffered a “major anomaly” during a static fire test. The incident, which occurred at approximately 11 p.m. CT on June 18, 2025, marked another challenging moment for the aerospace company’s ambitious Mars colonization program, though all personnel remained safe due to stringent safety measures.
The explosion, captured on video and shared across social media, showed a towering fireball engulfing the rocket as it stood on the test stand at the Massey test site. SpaceX confirmed in a statement on X that a safety clear zone was maintained throughout the operation, ensuring no hazards to surrounding communities. The company’s Starbase team, in collaboration with local officials, is currently working to secure the site and assess the damage.
“This is a setback, but it’s part of the journey,” said a SpaceX spokesperson. “Our focus remains on learning from these anomalies to advance our goal of making life multiplanetary.” The cause of the explosion remains under investigation, though it echoes previous incidents, such as the May 2025 Flight 9 failure due to attitude control issues and a March 2025 test disrupted by fuel leaks, pointing to ongoing challenges with cryogenic fuel management.
The Starship program, a cornerstone of Elon Musk’s vision to colonize Mars, has faced scrutiny over its technical and economic feasibility. A 2024 Nature review estimated the annual development cost at $5 billion, raising questions about sustainability. Despite this, SpaceX’s iterative testing philosophy—supported by a 2023 Acta Astronautica study on rapid aerospace prototyping—continues to drive progress, with the company promising to analyze data from this latest failure to refine future designs.
The explosion has sparked varied reactions online. While some, like @TVD, expressed optimism about the “tough lessons” paving the way to Mars, others, including @Hypnotic, mourned the loss of the prototype, calling it a devastating blow to the engineering teams. Musk himself downplayed the incident on X, posting “Just a scratch,” a sentiment echoed by @ElonVsOptimus, who noted, “If nothing blows up, you’re not pushing hard enough.”
The Federal Aviation Administration, which recently approved an increase in annual Starship launches from five to 25, may review the incident as part of its oversight. Meanwhile, NASA’s reliance on SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft for International Space Station missions adds pressure to resolve these setbacks, especially amid a recent feud between Musk and President Trump that threatened $22 billion in government contracts.
As safing operations continue, SpaceX has urged the public to avoid the area. The company’s next steps remain unclear, but history suggests a swift recovery, with Musk hinting at accelerated launch cadences in the coming weeks. The road to Mars, it seems, remains paved with both triumphs and trials.
Note these reports are all allegedly, as seen on the internet.
Written By Crystal Star
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