Starship's Setback: Another Explosion Delays SpaceX's Plans

SpaceX's Starship rocket faced another setback when it exploded during a test in Texas. This happened late at night on June 18, 2025, while the rocket was being prepared for its 10th test flight. The explosion was powerful enough to light up the night sky, but luckily, no one was hurt. The rocket, called Ship 36, was on a launch stand when it blew up. SpaceX said it was a "major anomaly, " but they didn't explain what went wrong. They did say that the area was safe and that people nearby weren't in danger. Cleanup crews are now working to secure the site and check for any environmental damage. Elon Musk, the CEO of SpaceX, shared some early findings on social media. He said that a part of the rocket, called a nitrogen COPV, failed and caused the explosion. This is the first time this specific part has failed in this way. Musk also joked that the explosion was "just a scratch, " but the incident is still a big deal. This isn't the first time Starship has had problems. It has exploded before during tests in January, March, and last month. Out of nine launches since April 2023, only four have been successful. Despite these setbacks, SpaceX is still planning to launch its largest Starship later this year and aims to land on Mars by 2026. Starship is designed to carry people and equipment to the Moon and eventually support a human colony on Mars. But with these repeated failures, it's clear that SpaceX still has a lot of work to do to make Starship reliable.