SpaceX’s Starship Explodes in Setback for Elon Musk's Mars Mission

SpaceX’s ambitious Starship faced a setback as it exploded shortly after liftoff, marking another challenge for Elon Musk’s interplanetary exploration goals.

Liftoff of Starship! pic.twitter.com/OL7moLdZ2u

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) March 6, 2025

The incident occurred during a test-flight at SpaceX’s launch site in Boca Chica, Texas. Despite successfully returning the first-stage booster to the launchpad using its unique recovery system, the Starship spacecraft encountered difficulties shortly after takeoff. SpaceX’s livestream captured the moment when the spacecraft lost several engines and began spinning uncontrollably in space.

Just saw Starship 8 blow up in the Bahamas @SpaceX @elonmusk pic.twitter.com/rTMJu23oVx

— Jonathon Norcross (@NorcrossUSA) March 6, 2025

“You can see we’ve lost several engines and we’ve lost attitude control for the vehicle,” explained SpaceX communications manager Dan Huot during the livestream. “Once you lose enough of those center engines, you’re going to lose attitude control,” he added, noting the eventual loss of contact with the spacecraft.

Social media footage showed debris streaking across the skies of south Florida and the Bahamas as remnants of the craft reentered the earth’s atmosphere. This prompted the Federal Aviation Administration to temporarily halt flights to several Florida airports due to safety concerns over falling debris.

The FAA announced a “mishap investigation” to determine the cause of the incident and prevent future occurrences. This marks SpaceX’s second launch failure this year, following a mid-flight breakup during a previous test in January, which also led to flight diversions.

In response to Thursday’s incident, SpaceX acknowledged the Starship’s “rapid unscheduled disassembly” and emphasized their commitment to safety protocols. “Our team immediately began coordination with safety officials to implement pre-planned contingency responses,” SpaceX stated.

NASA’s Artemis program, aimed at returning astronauts to the moon, relies on SpaceX’s Starship development. Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX and currently the world’s richest individual, has long-term ambitions to establish a human settlement on Mars using the Starship spacecraft.