SpaceX’s latest test launch of its Starship mega-rocket ended in partial failure on Thursday as the upper stage exploded mid-air for the second consecutive time, moments after a successful booster recovery.
A user on X shared a video of the explosion, stating, “Just saw Starship 8 blow up in the Bahamas.”
The rocket lifted off from SpaceX’s Starbase facility in Boca Chica, Texas, at around 5:30 pm (2330 GMT), marking the vehicle’s eighth orbital test. While the booster stage was successfully caught by the launch tower’s “chopstick” arms, the upper stage tumbled uncontrollably before the live feed cut out.
“Can confirm we did lose contact with the ship. Unfortunately, this happened last time, too,” SpaceX official Dan Huot said, referring to the January 16 test that saw the upper stage explode over the Caribbean, scattering debris.
The incident raises further scrutiny over CEO Elon Musk’s involvement in the company as he continues leading government overhaul efforts under former President Donald Trump. Concerns have mounted over his influence on US space policy, particularly regarding regulatory oversight.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) had allowed Thursday’s launch to proceed before completing its review of the previous Starship failure. The January test had ended with debris falling over the Turks and Caicos Islands, triggering cleanup efforts.
SpaceX had introduced multiple upgrades for this flight, aiming to enhance the upper-stage vehicle’s reliability. The company had also planned to deploy Starlink simulators designed to mimic satellite deployments before burning up in the atmosphere. However, the fate of the errant upper stage remains unclear as SpaceX ended its livestream about 40 minutes after launch.
Standing 403 feet (123 meters) tall, Starship is the world’s most powerful rocket and is central to Musk’s long-term vision of colonizing Mars. Nasa is also relying on a modified version of Starship for its Artemis program, which aims to return astronauts to the Moon this decade.
While SpaceX is working towards full reusability, its current strategy involves targeting splashdowns for the upper stage in the Indian Ocean off Australia’s western coast.
Musk’s handling of SpaceX has drawn fresh criticism, particularly regarding regulatory matters. A Bloomberg report recently alleged that a SpaceX engineer warned FAA employees that their jobs were at risk unless they expedited work on a program involving the company’s Starlink satellite terminals. SpaceX has denied the claims, calling the media reports “false.”
Despite the setback, Thursday’s test marks the third successful booster recovery for SpaceX, a key milestone in the company’s bid to develop fully reusable rockets.