The explosion occurred at least 30 minutes before the launch of SpaceX’s 10th flight test Credits: SpaceX
SpaceX was about to perform a static fire test of Ship 36 late Wednesday night, ahead of its 10th flight test for its Starship, when suddenly a massive explosion occurred at Massey’s Testing Centre site.
“A safety clear area around the site was maintained throughout the operation, and all personnel are safe and accounted for,” said SpaceX. Therefore, the explosion presented no hazards to local residents of the recently incorporated town of Starbase, Texas.
The explosion, caused by an anomaly, was caught on video, The Verge reported. The failed test follows the explosion of SpaceX’s 9th flight test late last month, as reported by Euro Weekly News. According to The Verge, the SpaceX test site continued to burn at least two hours after the explosion, with live camera feeds from NASA Spaceflight and LabPadre showing the site, as well as the response from local fire departments.
30 minutes before load sequencing
According to the people narrating on NASA Spaceflight, the explosion occurred approximately 30 minutes after the propellant load sequence began, before the static fire test was supposed to start. On X, NASA wrote “ANOMALY! Just before Ship 36 was set to Static Fire, it blew up at SpaceX Masseys!” The post includes a video of the massive explosion.
The Verge explained that during a static fire test, the vehicle’s rocket engines fire while it remains attached to the launch mount, so Ship 36 was not scheduled to lift off just yet.
The details of the cause of this latest incident and the extent of possible damage to the test site have not yet been revealed.
A major anomaly
Fox 26 Houston said that, according to authorities, no injuries were reported, while KRGV News said that Brownsville Fire Department crews were responding to the scene of the explosion.
SpaceX issued this statement about the incident about 90 minutes after the incident in a post on X: “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 safe clear area around the site was maintained throughout the operation, and all personnel are safe and accounted for.”
And it went on: “Our Starbase team is actively working to save the test site and the immediate surrounding area in conjunction with local officials. 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.”
This flight test would have continued using SpaceX’s “V2” Starship design, which Elon Musk said in 2023 “holds more propellant, reduces dry mass and improves reliability.”
SpaceX is also preparing a new V3 design, according to Musk, which is expected to reach a rate of launching once a week in approximately 12 months.
