For the second time this year, Elon Musk’s SpaceX has faced a failed attempt at launching dummy satellites, with the Starship spacecraft exploding mid-air and crashing back to Earth.
The launch, which took place on March 3 at approximately 5:30 p.m. CT from Starbase, Texas, encountered problems just ten minutes after liftoff. The spacecraft lost communication with ground control before breaking apart into pieces.
Later that day, SpaceX released a report analyzing the incident on its official website. This marked the second attempt to launch simulated satellites in 2024, and the eighth overall test of the Starship program.
According to SpaceX, the Super Heavy booster successfully ignited all 33 Raptor engines and completed the initial phase of the ascent. However, about two and a half minutes into the flight, the booster executed a planned engine shutdown for hot-staging separation—where all but three of its Raptor engines were turned off.
After separation, 11 of the 13 Raptor engines intended for re-ignition were successfully restarted, allowing the booster to begin its return to the launch site. However, things took a dramatic turn shortly after.
The official report states: “Final contact with Starship came approximately nine minutes and 30 seconds after liftoff.” The spacecraft then experienced a “rapid unscheduled disassembly”, losing communication with mission control.
Flight Disruptions and Public Reaction
As a result of the failure, flights from several Florida airports—including those in Miami and Orlando—were briefly grounded, according to a report by the BBC.
Meanwhile, videos surfaced on social media showing debris breaking apart in the skies over the Bahamas, with some residents claiming they took cover upon witnessing the falling wreckage.
A widely shared Twitter video captured glowing fragments descending toward Earth, with one user commenting:
“If NASA had the failure rate SpaceX does, Elon Musk would be firing everyone, and Congress would be demanding to know where the money is going.”
SpaceX later addressed the incident on its official Twitter page, stating: “Our team immediately began coordination with safety officials to implement pre-planned contingency responses.”
The company emphasized that the spacecraft had been flying within a designated launch corridor to ensure safety for people on land, in the water, and in the air.
Investigating the Cause of the Failure
According to SpaceX, an energetic event in the aft portion of Starship before the ascent burn completed led to the loss of multiple Raptor engines. This ultimately caused a failure in attitude control and a loss of communication with the vehicle.
The report reassured the public that any surviving debris would have fallen within the designated Debris Response Area, emphasizing that the wreckage contains no toxic materials and poses no significant threat to marine life or water quality. Authorities have urged anyone who discovers potential debris to report it to local officials.
SpaceX’s Next Steps
SpaceX confirmed that it will be conducting a thorough review of flight data to identify the root cause of the failure.
“With a test like this, success comes from what we learn,” the company stated, adding that today’s incident will help improve Starship’s reliability for future launches.
SpaceX also assured that a full investigation will be carried out in collaboration with the FAA and other relevant authorities, with corrective measures implemented before the next test flight.
