A SpaceX Starship prototype suffered a dramatic explosion late night on June 18 during pre-launch preparations at the company’s Starbase facility in South Texas, marking the latest setback in the spacecraft’s development programme.
The incident involved Ship 36, which was undergoing preparations for a static fire test—a routine trial of rocket engines—when it experienced what SpaceX described as a “major anomaly” around 11 p.m. Central Time (CT).
The explosion occurred at the Massey’s Testing Centre, located near Brownsville, just before the engines were set to ignite.
Footage from livestreams operated by NASASpaceflight and LabPadre captured flames and plumes of smoke continuing to rise from the site well after the initial blast.
Commentary on the NASASpaceflight feed suggested the explosion happened roughly 30 minutes after propellant loading began and before any engine fire sequence had started.
SpaceX issued a statement on social media platform X about 90 minutes later, confirming that a safety perimeter had been established before the test and that “all personnel are safe and accounted for.”
The company added, “There are no hazards to residents in surrounding communities.”
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…
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) June 19, 2025
The cause of the explosion has yet to be identified. It comes in the wake of multiple recent Starship test failures, including explosions during the seventh, eighth, and ninth flight tests earlier this year.
SpaceX stated that teams were “actively working to safe the test site and the immediate surrounding area in conjunction with local officials” and urged the public to avoid the area while emergency operations continued.
Starship, a fully reusable rocket system, is central to SpaceX’s plans to send cargo and humans to the Moon and Mars.
Despite a series of high-profile failures, the company has continued testing aggressively at Starbase as part of its long-term ambitions.
