SpaceX Starship Explodes During Test Before 10th Flight Attempt

SpaceX suffered a major blow last night when one of its Starship rockets exploded on a test stand in Texas. The explosion happened as the company was getting ready for the 10th test flight.

According to SpaceX, “all personnel are safe and accounted for” and there is no danger to nearby communities. The explosion occurred during a static fire test of the 6 Raptor engines with the area already cleared.

In an update today, SpaceX said the blast was caused by a COPV in the nosecone failing.

The damage to the test site is visible but no one was hurt.

The 10th test flight, which the FAA said could happen as early as June 29, could be delayed. As of January, March, and May of 2025, several tests for the Starship program have failed.

Despite the setbacks, CEO Elon Musk downplayed the explosion saying it was “just a scratch” on X. SpaceX is still moving forward with its plans including sending a Starship to Mars by 2026 and testing a larger “Version 3” later this year.

This is just another hurdle for the Starship but the company is still committed to its space exploration goals.