Billionaire Elon Musk’s SpaceX faced another setback after its Starship vehicle exploded during a static fire test in Texas on Wednesday, sending a dramatic fireball high into the sky.
The company said the Starship “experienced a major anomaly” at about 11 pm while on the test stand preparing for the tenth flight test at Starbase, SpaceX’s launch site at the southern tip of Texas.
“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,” it said.
This is not the first time Musk’s SpaceX has suffered a setback
Despite failures the company has continued testing, calling each flight an opportunity to gather crucial data for improvements.
