The next launch of SpaceX’s Starship rocket is unlikely to go ahead as planned, as during testing procedures ahead of a 10th planned launch of the next-generation rocket, it dramatically exploded. The huge fireball that followed showcases a dramatic setback for SpaceX, which has faced repeat issues with Starship over its last few test runs. Each of them has suffered some form of catastrophic error, which typically leads to rapid unscheduled disassembly, though most of those at least made it off the launchpad.
The Ship 36 rocket was planned for Starship’s impending 10th launch and was undergoing static fire tests at a secondary site away from the main launch pad on the evening of June 18, when something went dramatically wrong. In a split second, the rocket was there and then it wasn’t, with a huge fireball swallowing up everything in the vicinity.
SpaceX has confirmed that no one was hurt in the blast and that it is working to secure the area.
“Our Starbase team is actively working to safe the test site and the immediate surrounding area in conjunction with local officials,” it said in a statement. “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 portion of the rocket that exploded on Wednesday was the upper-stage “Ship” part of Starship, rather than the Super Heavy first-stage booster. That latter element of Starship has had more success with recent launches, even scoring a first for mid-air recapture using SpaceX’s unique “chopsticks” arms in 2024.
But the Starship itself has faced repeated issues. Every launch in 2025 so far has ended in some kind of failure, from major explosions in-flight to SpaceX losing attitude control. In each case, masses of debris have cascaded through the sky, making for dramatic trails, though some of it has ended up washing up on beaches used by local residents and vacationers, raising questions about Starship water and air pollution.
Ironically, SpaceX had yet to be given the all clear for its Starship Flight 10, which this latest Ship was supposed to be a part of, because the FAA is still investigating what happened with Flight 9, as per Space.com. This latest catastrophe is unlikely to raise confidence in Starship’s design. That will almost certainly cause additional delays in the next Starship launch, despite SpaceX’s desire to increase launch cadence toward the end of the year.