Major System Failure Detected on Ship 36 Ahead of Static Fire Attempt
Late Wednesday night around 11 PM CT, SpaceX was getting ready to perform a static fire test on Ship 36 — a key step before the planned 10th test flight of its Starship rocket. But before the test could even begin, a massive explosion rocked the Massey’s Testing Center in Texas.
SpaceX later confirmed that all safety protocols were in place at the time of the incident. “A safety clear area around the site was maintained throughout the operation and all personnel are safe and accounted for,” the company said. They also assured local residents in Starbase, Texas, that there are no hazards to the surrounding community.
Even two hours after the explosion, fires were still visible at the site. Live streams from NASASpaceflight and LabPadre continued to show the aftermath, along with local fire departments responding to the scene.
According to NASASpaceflight commentators, the explosion happened before the engines were fired — roughly 30 minutes after the propellant loading process had started. For context, during a static fire test, the rocket’s engines are ignited while the vehicle remains secured to the launch pad. So while Ship 36 was being prepped for testing, it was never meant to lift off that night.
The exact cause of the explosion at SpaceX’s test site on Wednesday night is still unclear, and it’s not yet known how much damage was done. However, this isn’t the first incident for the Starship program — similar explosions occurred during the seventh, eighth, and ninth test flights earlier this year.
Responding to the incident on X (formerly Twitter), SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said early data points to a possible issue with a nitrogen COPV (Composite Overwrapped Pressure Vessel) in the payload bay. According to Musk, it appears the tank failed at a lower pressure than expected, which he noted would be the first time that’s happened with this particular design.
Local news outlets have confirmed that no injuries were reported. Fox 26 Houston cited local authorities, and KRGV reported that the Brownsville Fire Department was on the scene responding to the fire.
About 90 minutes after the blast, SpaceX released an official statement on X:
“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 secure the test site and nearby area, alongside local officials. There are no hazards to nearby communities, and we ask the public to avoid the area while these safety measures are underway.”
This test involved SpaceX’s upgraded “V2” Starship design, which Elon Musk has previously said offers better performance by holding more propellant, reducing overall mass, and improving reliability. Looking ahead, SpaceX is also developing a next-generation “V3” version of Starship, which Musk hopes will be capable of launching once a week within the next year.