A major setback for Elon Musk’s flagship rocket program, as the latest test of SpaceX’s massive Starship rocket ended in failure just minutes after launch. This disruption forced airline flights over the Gulf Of Mexico to alter course to avoid falling of the rocket’s debris. The Officials at Elon Musk’s company said that the upper stage was lost after problems developed after lift-off from Texas on Thursday.

“We did lose all communications with the ship – that is essentially telling us we had an anomaly with the upper stage,” SpaceX Communications Manager Dan Huot said, confirming minutes later that the ship was lost. According to him, the Super Heavy booster managed to return to its launchpad roughly seven minutes after lift-off as planned, prompting an eruption of applause from ground control teams.

Flights Diverted

The Federal Aviation Administration(FAA), which regulates private launch activities, said it was assessing the situation. FAA briefly slowed and diverted aircraft around the area where space vehicle debris was falling. At Miami International Airport, some flights were grounded, At least 20 commercial flights were reportedly diverted to other airports or altered course to avoid potential debris.

SpaceX Starship Program

SpaceX’s Starship rocket underwent its seventh test on Thursday, launched from the Starbase launch site near Brownsville, Texas. Just nine minutes after takeoff, SpaceX lost contact with the rocket. The upper stage of the rocket exploded over the Gulf of Mexico or the Caribbean Sea. A video that surfaced shows debris falling from the sky.
Elon Musk shared the video on ‘X’ with caption “Success is uncertain, but entertainment is guaranteed!”. He also said “improved versions” of the ship and booster were “already waiting for launch”. Footage of the launch clocked up 7.2m views, according to a SpaceX livestream.

Success is uncertain, but entertainment is guaranteed! ✨
pic.twitter.com/nn3PiP8XwG

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 16, 2025

According to a BBC report, Elon Musk stated, ‘Preliminary indications suggest an oxygen/fuel leak in the cavity above the ship’s engine firewall, large enough to build pressure exceeding the vent capacity.’ He added that ‘nothing so far suggests delaying the next launch beyond next month.

Background

According to Forbes- SpaceX has launched Starship six times since the spacecraft’s debut flight in April 2023. SpaceX has tested Starship to make the spacecraft fully reusable, allowing the ship to carry both cargo and people to space. Starship is considered the largest and most powerful rocket ever developed and stands at nearly 400 feet. The first test lasted just four minutes, and a second test flight in November 2023 lasted eight minutes because of a “rapid unscheduled disassembly.” The spacecraft successfully reentered Earth’s atmosphere during its fourth test launch in June 2024, during which SpaceX maintained contact with Starship throughout its flight and the spacecraft completed its first landing burn about an hour after launch.

During Starship’s sixth test launch in November, the spacecraft splashed down in the Indian Ocean as it reentered Earth’s atmosphere. This, however, marks the first time a SpaceX mishap has caused widespread disruptions to air traffic.

Was There Anyone Inside The Rocket?

There were no passengers aboard the rocket. SpaceX stated that the rocket is still in the testing phase and is intended for future missions to the Moon and beyond.