New York, March 7 — SpaceX’s eighth Starship test ended in failure Thursday after the rocket broke apart less than 10 minutes into flight, forcing the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to temporarily halt air traffic in parts of Florida.
The Super Heavy booster was successfully “caught” during launch, but the spacecraft spun out of control before contact was lost, New York Post reported. Videos circulating online showed fiery debris streaking across the night sky over South Florida, the Bahamas, and the Atlantic Ocean.
A SpaceX livestream captured the moment Starship lost stability, cutting off its engines before disintegrating. “During Starship’s ascent burn, the vehicle experienced a rapid unscheduled disassembly and contact was lost,” SpaceX posted on X. “Our team immediately began coordination with safety officials to implement pre-planned contingency responses.”
Nearly 1 million viewers watched live as the spacecraft veered off course before the feed was cut. Originally set to splash down in the Indian Ocean, wreckage was instead spotted over the Caribbean, with witnesses in Turks and Caicos and the Bahamas capturing its descent.
According to the FAA, multiple Florida airports saw flight delays Thursday due to “space launch debris.” SpaceX confirmed it lost contact with Starship before it could deploy its test satellites at the 17-minute mark.
The test had already been delayed earlier in the week when a Super Heavy booster issue forced a last-minute hold just 23 minutes before launch.
This marks the second consecutive failure for SpaceX’s Mars rocket program this year. In January, Starship exploded eight minutes into flight, scattering debris over Caribbean islands and causing minor damage in Turks and Caicos.
Despite the setback, SpaceX remains focused on improving the rocket’s reliability. “Success comes from what we learn, and today’s flight will offer additional lessons,” the company stated.
