A SpaceX Starship rocket exploded late Wednesday night at the company’s Starbase facility near Boca Chica Beach, Texas, during a scheduled static fire test in preparation for an upcoming flight, as reported by The New York Post.
The incident occurred shortly after 11:00 p.m. local time while SpaceX crews were conducting testing operations on Ship 36, a prototype in the company’s series of super heavy-lift reusable launch vehicles.

According to SpaceX, the explosion resulted from a “major anomaly” during the static fire process. The vehicle was mounted on a test stand at the time of the failure.
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A livestream from the facility captured the moment the explosion occurred, with video footage showing a sudden fireball erupting from the top portion of the rocket.
The blast illuminated the night sky and caused a brief whiteout effect on camera. Debris from the explosion was scattered across the test area.
Space X – Sraship just blew up ‼️
“Failure is how we learn” – Elon Musk pic.twitter.com/W0EEOjpBvW
— Concerned Citizen (@BGatesIsaPyscho) June 19, 2025
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After the blast, both the Starship vehicle and the test stand were no longer visible in their upright positions. SpaceX confirmed that all employees were accounted for, and no injuries were reported among on-site personnel.
“Our Starbase team is actively working to safe the test site and the immediate surrounding area in conjunction with local officials,” SpaceX said in a statement posted on X.
We’re closely monitoring the situation following a major anomaly during a Starship test at SpaceX’s Starbase facility last night. All personnel are safe and there is no danger to surrounding communities. Please avoid the area as safety operations continue. pic.twitter.com/9v0DZcKft3
— Senator Adam Hinojosa (@ElectAHinojosa) June 19, 2025
The company also reported that a safety perimeter was established prior to the test and that no hazards were posed to nearby residential areas.
Despite the absence of injuries, the explosion was felt by local residents, some of whom described significant shaking during the incident.
“Our whole neighborhood felt it and all the neighbors went outside to see what had happened because it shook all the houses,” said Arely Cantu, a resident of Brownsville, in an interview with My San Antonio. “My brother-in-law thankfully worked during the day shift.”
This test was intended to support the tenth flight of the Starship program, which is part of Elon Musk’s long-term vision for space transportation, including future missions to the Moon and Mars.
Elon Musk responded to the explosion on X. “Just a scratch”
Just a scratch
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 19, 2025
Local authorities are working with SpaceX to assess the extent of the damage to the facility. The company has not yet announced when testing will resume or how the incident may affect the broader flight schedule for Ship 36 or future Starship missions.
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