SpaceX Starship rocket explodes during ground test

SACRAMENTO, the United States -- SpaceX's Starship 36 rocket exploded during a routine ground test, marking the latest in a string of failures that have plagued the company's ambitious space program throughout 2025.

"On Wednesday, June 18 at approximately 11 pm CT (0400 Thursday GMT), the Starship preparing for the tenth flight test experienced a major anomaly while on a test stand at Starbase," SpaceX said Wednesday in an X post, confirming that "all personnel are safe and accounted for" and "there are no hazards to residents in surrounding communities."

The Precinct 1 Constable Office in Cameron county, Texas, where SpaceX's Starbase facility is located, posted video footage on Facebook, noting that "no injuries have been reported at this time" and "an investigation is now underway to determine the cause of the incident."

The explosion occurred as engineers prepared the massive rocket for a static fire test.

Video footage captured the moment of destruction, showing a rupture near the rocket's nose seconds before a massive fireball erupted into the night sky, with debris scattered across the facility. The resulting fire burned for over 90 minutes before the crews could extinguish it, CBS News reported.

Local media reported that windows in nearby houses rattled, and the blast could be felt as far as South Padre Island and Port Isabel, located several kilometers away from the test site.

The explosion represented another major Starship failure in 2025, which probably could delay the tenth test flight initially scheduled for June 29.

Earlier this year, three Starship flights faced consecutive failures, revealing a troubling pattern for the company that aims to revolutionize space travel. Technical issues, particularly related to the Raptor engines powering the Starship, are at the center of these setbacks.