Another attempt at launching the world’s most powerful rocket ends in failure, as debris rains down over Florida.
Another Starship Test, Another Setback
SpaceX’s ambitious Starship program faced another major setback on Thursday, March 7, 2025, when the company’s latest test flight ended in an explosion. Less than 10 minutes after liftoff, contact with the spacecraft was lost as it spun out of control, eventually breaking apart and sending debris streaming across Florida’s skies.
The test, which launched from SpaceX’s Starbase facility in Boca Chica, Texas, was meant to push Starship closer to operational status. However, as the spacecraft streaked eastward, engines began shutting down, and it never reached its intended controlled entry over the Indian Ocean. Instead, wreckage from the failure was spotted near Cape Canaveral.
It remains unclear whether Starship’s self-destruct system activated or if the failure was purely mechanical. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has now launched an investigation into the accident.
A Mission Cut Short
The 123-meter Starship rocket lifted off successfully, with SpaceX managing to catch and recover the first-stage booster using its giant mechanical arms at the launch site. However, trouble began when Starship’s upper-stage engines faltered, leading to an uncontrolled spin.
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The spacecraft reached an altitude of nearly 150 kilometers—just shy of the Kármán line, the boundary of space—before losing stability. Four mock satellites, meant to be deployed in orbit as part of the test, never had a chance to be released.
“The spacecraft experienced a rapid unscheduled disassembly during ascent engine firing,” SpaceX later confirmed, using its signature phrase for explosions.
This failure follows a similar incident nearly two months ago, when another Starship test flight exploded, scattering debris over the Turks and Caicos Islands. That explosion was later attributed to a fuel leak that triggered fires, shutting down the spacecraft’s engines and forcing an automatic self-destruct sequence.
Debris Scatters Over Florida
In the immediate aftermath of the failure, social media was flooded with images and videos showing flaming debris streaking across the Florida sky, particularly near Cape Canaveral.
The fallout also impacted air travel. Orlando International Airport briefly grounded flights due to “space launch debris in the area,” according to a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter).
This was supposed to be a crucial test for Starship, as SpaceX continues refining its systems ahead of key NASA missions. The company has been working to improve the spacecraft’s design, including modifications to its flaps, computers, and fuel system, aiming for a future where Starship can land back at the launch site after reaching orbit.
What’s Next for Starship?
Despite these setbacks, SpaceX remains committed to Starship, which is central to its long-term goals of interplanetary travel.
NASA has already contracted SpaceX to use Starship for the Artemis program, which aims to return astronauts to the Moon later this decade. Additionally, Elon Musk envisions Starship as the vehicle that will one day transport humans to Mars.
The latest failure is another hurdle, but SpaceX has a history of iterating quickly. The FAA will require a thorough investigation before granting another launch license, but improvements are expected in the next test flight.
SpaceX is also constructing a second Starship launch complex at Cape Canaveral, which could provide additional launch opportunities in the future.
For now, however, the world’s most powerful rocket remains grounded—once again.
