SpaceX rocket explodes: «Just a scratch», says Elon Musk

The year 2025 is proving difficult for SpaceX, which has just suffered the ground explosion of its rocket during a static test, while the company was conducting tests in preparation for the tenth test flight since the program began in April 2023.

The Starship 36 explosion occurred in Texas at around 11pm local time, during its second static firing test.

A gigantic fireball was observed, and spectacular images of the incident were captured on video.

Before this spectacular explosion, Ship 36 had already carried out two cryogenic pressurization tests and a static firing with a single engine, according to NASA.

Prior to this explosion, SpaceX had already suffered seven major incidents since the program’s launch in April 2023, with explosions or total losses on test flights 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8 and 9.

These failures, mainly due to engine failures, fuel leaks or anomalies during the re-entry phase, testify to the persistent technical challenges of the Starship project for Mars exploration.

Elon Musk reacted briefly to the situation on X, describing the incident as «just a scratch». However, this latest explosion fuels questions about his «fail fast, learn fast» approach!