Second Midflight Explosion of SpaceX’s Starship Disrupts Florida Air Traffic: What You Need to Know

SpaceX launched its latest Starship test flight on Thursday night, marking the eighth attempt of its massive rocket system. Unfortunately, the test didn’t go as hoped, ending with the loss of the Starship vehicle.

During this mission, SpaceX successfully captured the booster as it returned to the launch tower. However, the Starship spacecraft exploded mid-flight, disrupting air traffic in Florida.

The uncrewed Starship took off at 5:30 p.m. CT from SpaceX’s South Texas facility. This followed a delay from a planned launch on Monday due to concerns that needed addressing, as explained by Elon Musk.

Starship, which is the upper stage of the rocket, was carried by the 232-foot-tall Super Heavy booster. Unfortunately, contact with Starship was lost just 20 seconds before the end of its ascent burn when several engines shut down.

Dan Huot, SpaceX’s communications manager, noted that losing control of the center engines caused the spacecraft to spin, resulting in communication loss.

This loss of signal occurred at a similar stage as seen in the previous test flight, which ended with an explosion over the Turks and Caicos Islands, scattering debris and affecting local areas.

The explosion from Thursday’s flight was reportedly seen from parts of Florida and was confirmed to happen over the Caribbean. Residents reported issues with falling debris which led the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to implement temporary flight restrictions in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and Orlando.

Huot assured that they have safety measures to monitor and respond to debris. These protocols worked during previous launches, and they are actively in place now.

SpaceX later stated that an “energetic event” caused the loss of several engines, leading to control issues and communication loss around nine and a half minutes after liftoff. They emphasized that any remaining debris would fall within a designated safety area and poses no risk to marine life or water quality.

In light of the incident, the FAA is requiring SpaceX to conduct a mishap investigation. This process aims to enhance safety by discovering what went wrong and how to prevent similar incidents in the future.

The flight was an important part of testing for Starship. Engineers removed many heat shield tiles to identify weak spots, as these tiles protect the spacecraft from extreme temperatures upon reentry. They are also experimenting with new materials for better protection.

Following the problems experienced during the last flight, SpaceX made numerous upgrades. Changes were made to fuel lines, engine temperatures, and thrust targets, resulting in Starship being taller and able to carry more fuel.

The recent test was intended not only to push Starship’s limits but also to prepare for future missions, such as deploying test satellites.

SpaceX is also expanding its operations by building a new facility in Florida to increase the production and testing of Starship vehicles. This expansion aims to support growing mission demands as the company presses on with its ambitious space exploration goals.