A heavy-lift rocket Starship exploded during a static fire test at SpaceX’s test site in Texas, the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) reported on Thursday.
According to the space agency, the incident occurred during testing of the first stage of the booster, resulting in a significant fuel leak. The leak reportedly triggered a subsequent explosion of the second stage of the vehicle as it entered the atmosphere.
“The SpaceX Starship heavy-lift launch vehicle exploded during a static fire test,” NASA said on its social media page. The event was broadcast live on NasaSpaceFlight.
Despite the difficulties, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk expects a rapid increase in the number of successful Starship test flights.
Video footage posted by observers shows two explosions: the first occurred at the nose of the rocket, the second on the left side. After that, the structure and launch pad were completely engulfed in flames, and debris scattered across the site.
SpaceX confirmed that all employees were safe and emphasised that there was no threat to nearby communities. SpaceX specialists and local authorities are working at the scene to clean up the aftermath and ensure the safety of the test site.
The exact causes and circumstances of the incident are currently unknown.
On June 12, US President Donald Trump plans to scrap dozens of NASA programmes. The White House intends to cut the space agency’s science spending by about 50% to $3.9 billion.
