Bad weather scrubs Amazon's launch of first Kuiper internet satellites
Item 1 of 5 A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket is on the launch pad carrying Amazon's Project Kuiper internet network satellites, which are expected to eventually rival Elon Musk's Starlink system, at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Cape Canaveral, Florida, U.S., April 9, 2025. REUTERS/Steve Nesius
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Daily Mail
41 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
SpaceX starship explodes in gigantic fireball in Texas
A SpaceX rocket was seen bursting into a gigantic ball of fire during a routine test in Texas Wednesday night. The Starship 36 rocket was undergoing a static fire test at Elon Musk's Starbase test site at around 11pm when shocking footage shows its nose suddenly bursts open - causing the screen to momentarily flash white. When the light finally faded, a giant ball of fire could be seen spreading on the ground as black clouds of smoke reached up to the night sky. The static fire test is a pre-flight procedure in which a rocket engine or a set of engines are ignited while the vehicle is firmly bolted to the launch mount, meaning the rocket was not set to launch Wednesday night when the explosion occurred. In a statement, SpaceX said the rocket suffered '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,' the company stated. 'Our Starbase team is actively working to safe the test site and the immediate surrounding area in conjunction with local officials,' it added, noting that 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.' But local residents have reported that the massive explosion shook windows and rattled dishes, according to ValleyCentral. Firefighters were quickly dispatched to the scene, as the City of Port Isabel explained to residents that SpaceX 'experienced a spacecraft anomaly during testing at its facility' and that it is monitoring the situation, KRGV reports. The city noted that 'possible impacts may be felt or heard,' as it shared a link for residents to report any damage. Wednesday's terrifying sight comes just weeks after another model of the 403-foot rocket exploded over the Indian Ocean in a fiery failure. In that instance, the rocket was launched in an effort to deploy eight Starlink satellite simulators and test the vehicle's reentry system by removing 100 heat-shield tiles, according to Fox News. Although launch and initial ascent went smoothly, the Super Heavy booster suffered a catastrophic failure when its engines reignited for splashdown. SpaceX confirmed the loss of the booster but noted the failure was expected given the extreme test conditions. But earlier last month, another static fire test on the 35th iteration of the Starship rocket suffered a similar fiery fate when an object flew out of the 'flame trench' - a deep channel below the launchpad designed to deflect flames generated by the boosters. The rocket has also suffered two back-to-back failed test flights this year, both of which saw it explode in mid-air. Despite the setbacks of SpaceX CEO Elon Musk's dream of interplanetary colonization, the aerospace company emphasized the value of the flight last month. 'With a test like this, success comes from what we learn, and today's test will help us improve Starship's reliability as SpaceX seeks to make life multi-planetary,' the company said. Musk added, 'Launch cadence for the next 3 flights will be faster - approximately one every 3 to 4 weeks.' SpaceX has also previously said it remains committed to rapid iteration and development despite the explosions. 'Developmental testing by definition is unpredictable,' the company said on its website. 'But by putting hardware in a flight environment as frequently as possible, we're able to quickly learn and execute design changes as we seek to bring Starship online as a fully and rapidly reusable vehicle.'
Sky News
an hour ago
- Sky News
SpaceX rocket being tested explodes into giant fireball before launch in Texas
A SpaceX rocket has exploded before launch - sending a dramatic fireball high into the sky. Starship 36 was preparing for its 10th test flight at Starbase - SpaceX's launch site at the southern tip of Texas - when the incident occurred on Wednesday evening. During take off procedures just after 11pm local time, the rocket exploded into a giant fireball. The company described the incident as a "major anomaly". In a statement, it added: "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." It marks the latest failure for the space flight company, which hopes that Starship will one day be used to ferry people and cargo to Mars. Last month, a Starship test flight began spinning out of control about 30 minutes after its launch because of fuel leaks - meaning it broke up on re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere. 0:56 That followed explosive past failures in January, where a rocket blew up about eight minutes after take-off, and March, which forced flights in Florida to be temporarily grounded. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said in May that despite the rocket failure, the test flight was a "big improvement". A day later, he said he wants to send a spacecraft crewed by humanoid robots on a voyage to Mars by the end of 2026.
NBC News
an hour ago
- NBC News
SpaceX rocket being tested in Texas explodes, but no injuries reported
A SpaceX rocket being tested in Texas exploded Wednesday night, sending a dramatic fireball high into the sky. The company said the Starship "experienced a major anomaly" at about 11 p.m. while on the test stand preparing for the tenth flight test at Starbase, SpaceX's launch site at the southern tip of Texas. "A safety clear area around the site was maintained throughout the operation and all personnel are safe and accounted for," SpaceX said in a statement on the social platform X. CEO Elon Musk 's SpaceX said there were no hazards to nearby communities. It asked people not to try to approach the site. The company said it is working with local officials to respond to the explosion.
