SpaceX Starship test stand explodes ahead of 10th launch attempt
A SpaceX Starship launch vehicle exploded on a test stand in Texas Wednesday night. The incident occurred as the company prepared for the tenth test flight of the heavy-lift rocket system.
SpaceX stated via X that “all personnel are safe and accounted for” and that there are “no hazards to residents in surrounding communities.” The company has not yet provided an explanation for the explosion.
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…
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) June 19, 2025
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) recently suggested the tenth test flight could have occurred as soon as June 29, according to an advisory. The impact of the explosion on SpaceX’s development of the Starship rocket system is not yet clear.
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SpaceX CEO Elon Musk commented on the explosion in a post, apparently considering it to be: “Just a scratch.”
Just a scratch
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 19, 2025
SpaceX has been developing the 171-foot Starship and the 232-foot Super Heavy booster. The company announced at the start of 2025 that this year would be a “transformational” one for the program. The FAA recently increased its limit on Starship launches in Texas from 5 to 25.
Starship experienced an unexpected explosion during its seventh test flight in January, and again in March. It failed again during its ninth test in May. During the ninth test in May, the rocket failed to deploy the dummy Starlink satellites it was carrying onboard.
Musk stated the company is on track to attempt to send a Starship to Mars in 2026, estimating a “50/50” chance. SpaceX is also developing a larger “Version 3” of Starship that, according to Musk, could fly as early as this year.