The Starship spacecraft exploded during a static fire test. The incident did not result in any casualties.
ANOMALY! Just before Ship 36 was set to Static Fire, it blew up at SpaceX Masseys!
Live on X and YT:https://t.co/GPjZIX1Zyd pic.twitter.com/CfZhDeSGae
— NSF – NASASpaceflight.com (@NASASpaceflight) June 19, 2025
Starship with the tail number S36 was supposed to be used in the tenth test flight of the super-heavy space system. It was originally scheduled for the end of June.
As part of preparations for the flight, SpaceX engineers conducted a series of static fire tests on the spacecraft. However, while the S36 was on the test stand, it exploded. SpaceX subsequently released the following statement:
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 safety clear area around the site was maintained throughout the operation and all personnel are safe and accounted for.
Our Starbase team is actively working to safe 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
At this point, it is unclear what exactly caused the Starship explosion. But it is already clear that it has become another serious challenge for SpaceX. The three previous Starship flights ended in accidents, preventing the company’s engineers from achieving most of their goals. All this raised the logical question about the future of SpaceX’s very ambitious Mars plans, as well as other projects. They plan to use a spacecraft similar to the one used in the Artemis III mission, during which it will land American astronauts on the South Pole of the Moon.
