Musk's Starship explodes after launch, flights rerouted to avoid debris
Photo: Musk's Starship exploded after launch, flights had to be rerouted due to debris (x.com/SpaceX)
A SpaceX Starship rocket exploded during a flight test. Airlines had to change the course of flights over the falling debris, reports Reuters.
A @SpaceX Starship rocket exploded during a flight test launch#SpaceX #Starship #ElonMusk #USA pic.twitter.com/FtaifKMaNT
— RBC-Ukraine (@NewsUkraineRBC) January 17, 2025
The rocket disintegrated a few minutes after launch. For the first time, the Starship carried a test payload of satellite models, but without a crew.
The explosion caused debris to fall, leaving smoke trails in the sky over the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince.
Success is uncertain, but entertainment is guaranteed!
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 16, 2025
pic.twitter.com/nn3PiP8XwG
“We did lose all communications with the ship - that is essentially telling us we had an anomaly with the upper stage,” explained SpaceX communications manager Dan Huot.
Following the rocket explosion, dozens of commercial flights were forced to reroute their planes to avoid a potential collision with the debris. According to FlightRadar24, a number of flights in Florida were also delayed.
“Success is uncertain, but entertainment is guaranteed!” SpaceX founder Elon Musk reacted.
Watch Starship's seventh flight test https://t.co/QNCSPTewLA https://t.co/wWJtyFMrfI
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) January 14, 2025
Full video of the launch
Starship
Starship is a reusable space launch system developed by SpaceX to transport cargo and passengers to Earth orbit, the Moon, Mars, and other objects in space. The system consists of two stages: the Super Heavy booster and the Starship spacecraft, both of which are designed for reuse.
Not all previous rocket launches have been successful either. For example, in April 2023, the Starship exploded after launch.
