A SpaceX rocket being tested in Texas exploded Wednesday night (June 18), sending a dramatic fireball high into the sky. So far, no reports from the company cite injuries to employees or locals. Like social media users, Elon Musk reacted to footage of the explosion on his platform X, formerly Twitter.
In response to the rocket incident, the company said the Starship “experienced a major anomaly” at about 11 p.m. At the time, the rocket was on the test stand. It was preparing for the tenth flight test at Starbase, SpaceX’s launch site located at the southern tip of Texas
“A safety clear area around the site was maintained throughout the operation and all personnel are safe and accounted for,” SpaceX said in a statement on the social platform X.
This image provided by rocketfuture.org shows a SpaceX rocket explodes at Starbase, SpaceX’s launch site at the southern tip of Texas late Wednesday, June 18, 2025. (rocketfuture.org via AP)
Additionally, the statement said the Starbase team “is actively working” to ensure the safety of the test site and the surrounding area. However, it also noted no hazards to residents in surrounding communities. Still, SpaceX is asking individuals not to attempt to approach the area while safing operations continue.
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…
Meanwhile, Elon Musk racked up 13,000 reactions on X when he tweeted“Just a scratch” following the explosion.
Another account that shares spaceflight, rockets, and technology content responded to Elon with the phrase, but included photos of Elon posing at what looks like different explosions and test fails. It’s unclear if any of the images represent Elon at the site of Wednesday’s incident. Again, the SpaceX CEO responded casually, “Room for improvement,” in quotation marks.
Wednesday’s explosion marked the latest in a series of incidents involving Starship rockets. On Jan. 16, one of the massive rockets broke apart in what the company called a “rapid unscheduled disassembly.” That incident sent trails of flaming debris near the Caribbean. Two months later, during a March 6 test flight, SpaceX lost contact with another Starship as the spacecraft broke apart. Wreckage could be seen streaming over Florida.
Then, on March 27, one of the 403-foot Starship rockets launched from the southern tip of Texas tumbled out of control and broke apart.
SpaceX had hoped to release a series of mock satellites following liftoff, but that plan was nixed because the door failed to open all the way. The spacecraft then began spinning and made an uncontrolled landing in the Indian Ocean. At the time, Elon Musk called the launch “a big improvement” from the two previous demos. Musk also promised a much faster launch pace moving forward, with a Starship soaring every three to four weeks for the next three flights.
Associated Press Staff contributed to this report via AP Newsroom.
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