On Thursday, March 6, SpaceX‘s starship spacecraft exploded in space minutes after its launch. It was Starship’s eighth flight test, which lifted off from Starbase in Texas at 5:30 pm CT. The explosion led the FAA to halt air traffic at multiple airports in Florida.
Elon Musk‘s SpaceX live-streamed the launch, which showed engines cutting off from the rocket approximately eight minutes into the launch. SpaceX communications manager Dan Huot said during the webcast, “We just saw some engines go out. It looks like we are losing altitude control of the ship.” The spacecraft reportedly spun uncontrollably with its engines cut off before the communication was lost.
Several video are doing rounds on social media that captures debris falling through the sky near south Florida and the Bahamas. SpaceX confirmed in its official statement, that the final contact with Starship was made “approximately 9 minutes and 30 seconds after liftoff.”
Explaining what went wrong, Space X wrote on its website, “Prior to the end of the ascent burn, an energetic event in the aft portion of Starship resulted in the loss of several Raptor engines. This in turn led to a loss of attitude control and ultimately a loss of communications with Starship.”
The Starship then flew “within a designated launch corridor” in order to ensure the safety of people on land, on water and in the air. The company confirmed that the debris fell within the pre-planned Debris Response area and that the debris had no toxic materials that could harm marine life or water.
After the failed mission, Space X wrote on micro-blogging site, X, “With a test like this, success comes from what we learn, and today’s flight will help us improve Starship’s reliability. We will conduct a thorough investigation, in coordination with the FAA, and implement corrective actions to make improvements on future Starship flight tests.”
Swiftly taking action, The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said it “activated a Debris Response Area and briefly slowed aircraft outside the area where space vehicle debris was falling or stopped aircraft at their departure location.”
Flights to and from Miami International Airport, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, Philadelphia International Airport, West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale, etc were impacted due to SpaceX’s failed mission.
The failure of eighth Starship test comes just a month after the seventh one also met a similar fate in January. Two months into the year, and Elon Musk has witnessed two major failures. With his Starship mission, he hopes to establish a colony on Mars by 2050.
People on social media have united to boost the morale for those involved in the mission. An X user wrote, “Starship’s test success isn’t just a perfect flight—it’s the lessons we gain. Today’s data, paired with a thorough FAA investigation, will boost reliability for the next leap. Progress isn’t linear; it’s built on every launch, win or lose.”
Another X user wrote, “Every test flight brings you closer to perfecting Starship, and your relentless pursuit of progress is what makes you a leader in space innovation. The lessons from this launch will only make the next one stronger, and I’m so excited to see you conquer the stars.”
