A powerful explosion rocked SpaceX’s Starbase facility late Wednesday night, sending shockwaves through Cameron County as the company’s Starship prototype erupted in flames during a critical static fire test. The incident, which occurred just after 11 p.m. on June 18, left residents startled by a loud rumble that shook windows and reverberated across the region.
The prototype, known as Ship 36, was being prepared for its highly anticipated tenth test flight. As engineers loaded the vehicle with liquid methane and liquid oxygen in advance of a routine engine firing, the rocket suffered a catastrophic failure and exploded on the test stand.
Dramatic footage captured the moment the stainless-steel spacecraft was ripped apart by a massive fireball, sending debris and flames high into the night sky. The explosion was so intense that it rattled nearby homes and startled residents throughout the area.
Emergency protocols were enacted immediately, and local authorities rushed to the scene. Fortunately, no injuries were reported among SpaceX personnel or the surrounding community. SpaceX confirmed that a safety perimeter had been established prior to the test, ensuring all staff were accounted for and no hazards threatened nearby residents. The company is now working closely with local officials to secure the site and assess the extent of the damage.
In a statement released early Thursday, SpaceX acknowledged the “major anomaly” and emphasized that public safety remains its top priority. The company urged the public to avoid the area while recovery and investigation efforts are underway. The cause of the explosion remains under investigation, with SpaceX and regulatory authorities working to determine what led to the catastrophic failure.
The incident marks a significant setback for SpaceX’s Starship program, which is central to the company’s ambitions for deep space exploration and future Mars missions. The explosion is expected to delay the upcoming tenth test flight, originally targeted for later this month, as engineers assess damage and implement corrective measures.
For Cameron County residents, the blast was a stark reminder of the risks and excitement that come with living near the cutting edge of space exploration. As SpaceX works to recover from this latest setback, the eyes of the world remain fixed on Starbase, where every test brings both the promise of progress and the ever-present possibility of dramatic failure.
