Texas Border Business
Texas Border Business
On June 18, 2025, at approximately 11 p.m. Central Time, SpaceX’s Starship prototype Ship 36 experienced a catastrophic explosion during a static-fire test at the company’s Starbase facility in Cameron County, Texas. The blast, which generated a massive fireball and was widely captured on livestreams, shocked residents in surrounding communities and rattled nearby homes.
According to SpaceX and local law enforcement, no injuries were reported. The event occurred within a secured area, and emergency protocols—supported by a pre-established safety perimeter—ensured that both SpaceX personnel and the public remained unharmed.
The incident occurred during what was expected to be a routine static-fire test involving propellant loading. SpaceX later confirmed the explosion as a “major anomaly” and a “catastrophic failure,” destroying Ship 36. The prototype had been slated for an upcoming flight on June 29, which is now expected to be postponed.
An official investigation is underway to determine the precise cause of the failure. SpaceX is coordinating closely with local authorities to secure the test site and mitigate any residual hazards before cleanup and restoration efforts begin. Fire response teams from Cameron County and the Brownsville Fire Department were promptly dispatched to the scene.
In the immediate aftermath, SpaceX outlined the following priorities: a complete technical review to assess the failure, safety operations to ensure all hazards are contained, and reassessing the Starship program’s testing and launch timeline.
The explosion of Ship 36 adds to a string of setbacks for the Starship program in 2025. Earlier prototypes—Flights 7, 8, and 9—also encountered failures or explosive outcomes during testing phases. Despite these events, SpaceX maintains that such challenges are part of its development strategy, which focuses on rapid iteration and long-term reusability.
In the video, the explosion was seen as a sudden and powerful fireball, marking a complete structural loss for the test vehicle. Key facts from the event confirm that the anomaly occurred during a controlled test, safety measures were effectively in place, and there were no casualties.
SpaceX officials reaffirmed their commitment to continued testing, indicating that the lessons learned from Ship 36 will inform future builds and launches. The company’s long-term mission to develop a fully reusable spacecraft for deep-space travel, including missions to Mars, remains unchanged.
As SpaceX reevaluates its timeline and technical procedures, the focus will remain on safety, investigation, and iterative improvement. Updates on the cause of the failure and the status of future launches are expected in the coming weeks.
See Video here:
