SpaceX’s Starship Suffers Another Mid-Air Explosion, FAA Investigates

SpaceX’s Starship rocket experienced another failure, exploding in space shortly after launch from Texas, marking a second consecutive setback for Elon Musk’s Mars program. The explosion prompted the FAA to temporarily restrict air traffic in Florida due to falling debris. Social media captured images of the debris over southern Florida and the Bahamas. SpaceX’s live broadcast showed the spacecraft spinning out of control before communication was lost. The failure occurred early in the mission, raising concerns about the 403-foot rocket’s reliability. This follows a similar failure last month. During the test, the Super Heavy booster successfully returned to Earth, but the Starship upper stage malfunctioned. SpaceX confirmed an “energetic event” led to engine shutdowns and loss of control. The FAA has launched an investigation, requiring SpaceX to determine the cause before further tests. Debris from a previous failure caused minor damage in the Caribbean. SpaceX assures the latest debris is non-toxic. Despite setbacks, SpaceX aims to make Starship a reusable, interplanetary rocket. The test simulated an orbital flight and re-entry, crucial for future landings.