A SpaceX Starship spacecraft exploded during its eighth test flight Thursday, marking the second straight failure this year for the world's most powerful launch system. The blast disrupted air traffic across Florida and the Caribbean.
The uncrewed mission launched at 6:30 p.m. ET from SpaceX's Starbase in South Texas. Starship rode atop a 232-foot-tall Super Heavy rocket booster. After 2½ minutes, the booster separated cleanly. It then landed successfully in the "chopstick" arms of the Mechazilla launch tower near Brownsville, as CNN wrote. This marked SpaceX's third successful booster catch.
Trouble hit minutes later. Less than 10 minutes into flight, Starship's engines began failing. The livestream showed several cutting out. The craft tumbled. SpaceX reportedly lost contact soon after.
"Once you lose enough center engines, you lose attitude control," said Dan Huot, SpaceX communications manager, during the broadcast. "The ship spun, and we lost it."
The explosion echoed January's Flight 7, when Starship blew up over Turks and Caicos, scattering debris. Thursday's blast location remains unconfirmed. Residents in Florida and the Caribbean reported sightings, per CNN. The Federal Aviation Administration halted flights into Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Palm Beach, and Orlando airports until 8 p.m. ET due to "falling space debris."
Departures from Fort Lauderdale and Miami airports faced delays. Flights lagged 30 to 45 minutes on average.
"We coordinate with air traffic control using debris response areas," Huot said. "These measures keep the public safe. They worked before, and they're working now."
SpaceX later offered details on the news.
"An energetic event in Starship's aft section caused several Raptor engines to fail," the company stated. "This led to lost attitude control and communication. Contact ended 9 minutes, 30 seconds after liftoff." The craft stayed within its planned corridor. "Surviving debris fell in the pre-planned Debris Response Area," SpaceX added. "No toxic materials are present. Report debris to local authorities or our hotline: 1-866-623-0234."
The FAA ordered a mishap probe. "We aim to boost safety, find the cause, and prevent repeats," the agency said. "SpaceX leads the investigation. We'll approve the final report and corrective steps. Flights resume only when public safety is assured."
This was SpaceX's second try at Flight 8. CEO Elon Musk nixed Monday's attempt, citing "too many question marks."
