SpaceX’s massive Starship rocket exploded once again after launching from Texas on Tuesday evening in its ninth test flight.
The 400-foot rocket lifted off at 6:36pm local time from the company’s Starbase site in Texas. But about 30 minutes into flight, it began spinning uncontrollably and later broke apart during re-entry above the Indian Ocean.
Fuel leaks on the rocket were to blame for the loss of control, which led to what SpaceX calls a “rapid unscheduled disassembly.” Both the Starship rocket and its Super Heavy booster exploded before splashdown.
SpaceX said in a statement that teams are reviewing data and will continue working towards the next test.
The rocket had been carrying eight mock Starlink satellites, but its cargo bay door failed to open, preventing deployment.
“We did spring a leak in some of the fuel tank systems,” said SpaceX communications manager Dan Huot during a live stream of the flight.
The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed it is working with SpaceX and noted no injuries or damage to property occurred.
This marks the third major failure for the Starship programme this year, following explosions in January and March.
Despite setbacks, Elon Musk remains optimistic, noting improvements such as better heat shield performance. He plans to launch Starship rockets every three to four weeks.
SpaceX continues to describe these failures as learning steps toward creating reliable, reusable rockets for space travel.
Since 2008, SpaceX has received over $19 billion in federal funding, with more contracts expected in future years.
