Elon Musk's Starship rocket explodes during preparation for the tenth test flight (video)
On the night of 19 June, a serious incident occurred at the Starbase test site in Boca Chica, Texas, during the ground testing of the Starship rocket, which was preparing for its tenth test flight. The accident occurred at approximately 11 p.m. US Central Time.
According to SpaceX's official statement, the rocket experienced a "serious anomaly" directly on the test stand. All employees were in a safe area around the test site and no one was injured. Company representatives confirmed that all team members are safe and that both SpaceX engineers and local services are working at the scene.
At the moment, work is underway to eliminate the potential consequences of the accident, as well as to protect the test stand and the surrounding area. The company noted that residents of nearby communities are not in danger, but urged them to refrain from approaching the accident site while safety measures are in place.
Starship is a reusable super-heavy rocket that SpaceX plans to use for interplanetary missions, including to the Moon and Mars. The ninth test flight of the system was successful, and the tenth was supposed to be the next step in the rocket's improvement programme. The accident may temporarily postpone the next tests, but so far SpaceX has not announced any changes to the launch schedule.
Source: Twitter
