Space travel is dangerous, as we know from the ’86 Challenger disaster, the ‘2003 Space Shuttle Columbia tragedy, and the ’67 Apollo 1 fire, to name a few.
In recent years SpaceX and its CEO Elon Musk have had a remarkable run of successes in sending satellites to space and rescuing stranded astronauts, but on Wednesday night, their Starship 36 rocket was destroyed in a tremendous explosion that occurred during routine testing.
🚨#BREAKING: Watch as SpaceX Starship 36 explodes during static fire test right before launch later this month
— R A W S A L E R T S (@rawsalerts) June 19, 2025
📌#Starbase | #Texas
Watch as a massive explosion erupts near Starbase City, Texas, during a critical moment in SpaceX’s preparations for Starship Flight 10. The… pic.twitter.com/Rp2tlddenf
The incident took place at the Masseys test site, where engineers were conducting a routine static fire test of Starship 36. Just as the engines ignited, the vehicle suddenly exploded, sending a massive fireball into the sky that was visible for miles video by @NASASpaceflight
SpaceX said in a statement that the rocket suffered “a major anomaly” but that there were no injuries:
'A safety clear area around the site was maintained throughout the operation and all personnel are safe and accounted for,' the company stated.
'Our Starbase team is actively working to safe the test site and the immediate surrounding area in conjunction with local officials,' it added, noting that there 'are no hazards to residents in surrounding communities, and we ask that individuals do not attempt to approach the area while safing operations continue.'
Related: Splashdown! Dragon Returns With Stranded Astronauts, Landing in Gulf of America
Essex Files: Soaring High, Stumbling Low - Why Space Travel’s Ups and Downs Are a Good Thing
Despite the setback, Musk appeared unfazed:
Just a scratch
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 19, 2025
Could he be referring to a classic Monty Python movie?
SPACEX: After the malfunction of Starship during a test burn Elon Musk took to X and posted, "Just a scratch." perhaps in reference to the classic 1975 movie Monty Python and the Holy Grail (I think Elon and I were just 4 when it came out, but it played non-stop at the movie… pic.twitter.com/YVLUdgQyKV
— @amuse (@amuse) June 19, 2025
For those of you not familiar with the movie here is the scene were the Black Knight, played by John Cleese, says "Tis but a scratch..."
Musk has shown incredible business brilliance and fortitude before, so this accident is not likely to derail his ambitions. This SpaceX rocket flew over my house just this Monday:
Spectacular.
SpaceX, which has experienced accidents before, noted that sometimes there are failures on the road to success:
SpaceX has also previously said it remains committed to rapid iteration and development despite the explosions.
'Developmental testing by definition is unpredictable,' the company said on its website.
'But by putting hardware in a flight environment as frequently as possible, we're able to quickly learn and execute design changes as we seek to bring Starship online as a fully and rapidly reusable vehicle.'
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