Elon Musk’s SpaceX Starship Explodes Mid-Flight, Debris Seen in Sky | WATCH
SpaceX's Starship rocket met a dramatic end during its seventh test flight on Thursday, January 16. The rocket, which was being tested for future missions to the moon and beyond, broke apart mid-flight over the Gulf of Mexico, scattering debris across the region. The incident occurred shortly after the rocket lifted off from SpaceX's Boca Chica, Texas, facilities. According to SpaceX mission control, communication with the spacecraft was lost about eight minutes into the flight. The upper stage of the rocket experienced a "rapid unscheduled disassembly," leading to its disintegration. Videos of the debris streaking across the sky quickly surfaced on social media, capturing the attention of space enthusiasts. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk shared one such video on X (formerly Twitter), humorously commenting, "Success is uncertain, but entertainment is guaranteed!". Despite the setback, SpaceX remains optimistic about the future of the Starship program. The company emphasised that the test flight provided valuable data that will help improve the rocket's reliability and performance. The Super Heavy booster, which detached from the Starship during the flight, successfully returned to the launch pad using SpaceX's giant mechanical arms, nicknamed "chopsticks.". The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is currently assessing the operation and will issue an updated statement. Meanwhile, airlines were forced to divert flights to avoid the falling debris.