SpaceX Starship Explodes During 10th Flight Test at Starbase

As Starship was being prepared for its 10th flight test, it "experienced a major anomaly" and exploded at Starbase, Texas. On May 27, the vehicle experienced a "rapid unscheduled disassembly" about an hour after taking off on its ninth flight. The explosion occurred at Starbase, Texas.

SpaceX's Starship exploded Wednesday night.

It's not the first time Starship has run into an explosive end. On May 27, the vehicle experienced a "rapid unscheduled disassembly" about an hour after taking off on its ninth flight.

The same language was used in January and March when flight tests also unexpectedly exploded.

During the most recent test, on Wednesday, June 18, at 11 p.m. CT, Starship's 10th flight test "experienced a major anomaly while on a test stand at Starbase."

Here's what we know.

SpaceX Starship explodes at Starbase, Texas

SpaceX posted on X:

"On Wednesday, June 18 at approximately 11 p.m. CT, the Starship preparing for the tenth flight test experienced a major anomaly while on a test stand at Starbase. A safety clear area around the site was maintained throughout the operation and all personnel are safe and accounted for. Our Starbase team is actively working to safe the test site and the immediate surrounding area in conjunction with local officials. There are no hazards to residents in surrounding communities, and we ask that individuals do not attempt to approach the area while safing operations continue."

The day before, on June 17, SpaceX posted video on X of a "single-engine static fire demonstrating an in-space burn" as Starship prepared for its 10th flight test.

Explosions, setbacks plague SpaceX Starship

During three tests between June and November 2024, Starship flew halfway around the world before reentering Earth's atmosphere and splashing down as planned in the Indian Ocean.

But in both January and March 2025, the vehicles used in the tests instead met their end in dramatic explosions that sent cascades of fiery debris across the sky in Caribbean countries and Florida.

In both cases, the upper stage, the vehicle where astronauts and cargo would ride, came apart minutes into its flight during the ascent.

On May 27, Starship successfully launched but contact with the vehicle was lost about 46 minutes into the flight as it spun out of control about halfway through its flight and then came apart. The debris fell into the Indian Ocean, far from inhabited areas, SpaceX said.

What is SpaceX Starship?

SpaceX is developing Starship to be a fully reusable transportation system, meaning both the rocket and vehicle can return to the ground for additional missions. In the years ahead, Starship is intended to carry both cargo and humans to Earth's orbit and deeper into the cosmos.

NASA's lunar exploration plans call for Artemis III astronauts aboard the Orion capsule to board the Starship while in orbit for a ride to the moon's surface.

But SpaceX founder Elon Musk is more preoccupied with Starship reaching Mars — potentially, he has claimed, by the end of 2026. Under his vision, human expeditions aboard the Starship could then follow in the years after the first uncrewed spacecraft reaches the Red Planet.

How big is Starship?

Starship is regarded as the world’s largest and most powerful launch vehicle ever developed.

At more than 400 total feet in height, Starship towers over SpaceX's famous Falcon 9 rocket — one of the world's most active — which stands at nearly 230 feet.

The launch vehicle is composed of both a 232-foot Super Heavy rocket and the 171-foot upper stage spacecraft, or capsule where crew and cargo would ride.

Where is Starbase, Texas?

On May 3, voters in Texas approved the creation of Starbase, officially recognizing the headquarters of billionaire Elon Musk's SpaceX commercial rocket company as a city of its own.

It's the home of SpaceX's rocket program and is where the vehicles are both built and often launched. The complex, about 1.5 square miles in size, houses a landing pad, launch facility, launch control center and tracking station for SpaceX.

Who owns SpaceX?

SpaceX is primarily owned by its founder and CEO, Elon Musk.