SpaceX spacecraft breaks up in space, halts flights

On Thursday, January 16, 2025, SpaceX conducted its seventh successful test of its Starship rocket, which failed.

The rocket took off from Starbase in Texas. It was a test to test the new capabilities of the Starship.

Everything was fine when it took off, with all 33 of its engines working properly. Shortly after, the lower part of the rocket returned to Earth and was picked up by robots, marking the second time SpaceX has done so.

This part of the rocket returned to Earth and can be used to launch more spacecraft.

After eight minutes and a few seconds, the upper part, which had been in the air, experienced problems with some of its engines, which began to catch fire and explode.

It exploded at an altitude of 146 kilometers above the ground, traveling at a speed of 21,317 kilometers per hour. Its fragments fell into the Atlantic Ocean.

The explosion caused some flights to be canceled due to safety concerns, with flights to and from Miami and Fort Lauderdale temporarily grounded.

Photos were also posted on social media showing parts of the rocket in the Caribbean Sea.

The main purpose of the test launch was to test a new system for returning it to Earth after delivering various objects to space.

It carried 10 dummy satellites, as part of a test of how real ones will be sent there in the future using Starship.

Along with other goals, they were not achieved due to the explosion.

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk explained that there may have been an unexpected loss of air and fuel, limiting the rocket’s capabilities.

He said another test is expected early next month.