SpaceX Rocket Explodes During Test: A massive fireball lit up the night sky at SpaceX’s testing centre in Texas when its Starship rocket exploded during a flight test on Wednesday night around 11 pm. The dramatic moment was caught on livestream, showing flames bursting from the rocket moments before it was due to launch.
Thankfully, there were no injuries reported in the explosion, and SpaceX has confirmed there’s no danger to the nearby communities. People have been asked to stay away from the area while the site is being secured.
The rocket that exploded is the Starship — SpaceX’s most powerful and fully reusable rocket system, designed to carry both humans and cargo to the Moon, Mars, and beyond. It stands at a towering 123 metres, which is even taller than Delhi’s Qutub Minar.
This was meant to be Starship’s tenth flight test. However, this is the third failure in 2025 alone, raising concerns about the rocket’s reliability. So far, five out of nine tests since 2023 have ended in failure. Experts say SpaceX follows a “fail fast, learn fast” approach to testing new technologies.
The explosion comes just days before Indian Air Force officer and astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla is set to fly aboard a different SpaceX rocket — the Falcon-9 — as part of the Axiom-4 mission to the International Space Station. That launch is scheduled for June 22 from Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
Interestingly, the Falcon-9 rocket too had faced issues recently. A leak in its liquid oxygen tank was spotted, which Indian scientists at NASA insisted be repaired before the mission. SpaceX carried out the repairs, and ISRO later confirmed the problem was resolved. Falcon-9 has a strong track record with a 99.6% success rate across nearly 500 launches and has successfully carried humans 10 times so far.
SpaceX has assured that all safety measures were in place during the Starship incident and that they are working with local authorities to investigate and secure the area. However, safety concerns around the company’s rapid testing methods are being debated internationally.
This mishap occurred just a day after India’s Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia met SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell to discuss Starlink’s upcoming plans in India. Shotwell also met Indian space startups and regulators to explore collaboration in satellite internet services.
An American aerospace expert noted that while rocket testing is inherently risky, as usage increases globally, there needs to be more clarity on which operations are experimental and which are routine. They stressed that safety should always remain the top priority — a principle strongly followed by Indian space scientists.
Indian Minister Dr Jitendra Singh has confirmed that the final readiness check for the Axiom-4 mission is underway. If all goes well, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla will lift off for his space mission on June 22.
While the SpaceX Starship explosion has raised some eyebrows, it is a reminder of the risks involved in space exploration. However, with strong safety protocols in place, hopes remain high for India’s astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla’s upcoming journey to space.
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FAQs
What caused the SpaceX rocket explosion?
The exact cause is unknown yet, but SpaceX confirmed a “major anomaly” during the test.
Was anyone injured in the explosion?
No, SpaceX confirmed all personnel are safe and there’s no danger to the public.
Will this affect the Falcon-9 launch for the Indian astronaut?
No. The explosion happened with a different rocket. Falcon-9 is a proven launch vehicle with a strong safety record.
When is Shubhanshu Shukla’s space flight?
If all parameters are met, the Axiom-4 mission is expected to launch on June 22, 2025.
What is Starship used for?
Starship is designed to carry humans and cargo to space destinations like the Moon and Mars.
