SpaceX’s ambitious Starship program hit another snag late Wednesday night after one of its prototypes exploded during a ground test in Boca Chica, Texas. The incident, which occurred as the company gears up for its tenth integrated flight test of the massive rocket system, raised questions about the timeline of what CEO Elon Musk once called a “transformational year” for SpaceX.
In a brief post on X (formerly Twitter), SpaceX confirmed that all personnel were safe and there was no threat to nearby communities. The company has yet to release details about the cause of the explosion.
The Starship vehicle, which stands 171 feet tall and is stacked atop the even more massive 232-foot Super Heavy booster, is being developed as the most powerful launch system ever built. The goal: to support future missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond, while also boosting the deployment of Starlink satellites for global broadband coverage.
Despite repeated setbacks—including test flight failures in January, March, and most recently in May—Musk remains optimistic. He downplayed the latest explosion, calling it “just a scratch,” and has previously said there’s a 50/50 chance Starship will reach Mars by 2026.
The FAA had recently hinted that the tenth test flight could happen as early as June 29. SpaceX has also been cleared to ramp up launch frequency from five to 25 annually in Texas, signaling regulatory support despite the challenges.
A more advanced Version 3 of Starship is also in the pipeline, and according to Musk, it could fly before the year ends.
