Late Wednesday night, around 11 PM CT, a massive explosion occurred at SpaceX’s Massey’s Testing Center in Starbase, Texas. The incident happened as Ship 36 was preparing for a static fire test, a crucial step before its planned 10th Starship flight.
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SpaceX quickly issued a statement, confirming that “A safety clear area around the site was maintained throughout the operation and all personnel are safe and accounted for.” The company also assured that there are no hazards to residents in the surrounding Starbase community.
Live camera feeds from NASASpaceflight and LabPadre captured the ongoing scene, showing the test site still burning approximately two hours after the explosion, along with the response from local fire departments. According to narrators on NASASpaceflight, the blast occurred before the static fire test was set to begin, roughly 30 minutes into the propellant loading sequence. A static fire test involves firing the rocket engines while the vehicle remains securely attached to the launch mount, so Ship 36 was not scheduled for liftoff at the time.
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The cause of this latest incident and the extent of the damage to the test site remain unknown. This event follows similar explosions during the seventh, eighth, and ninth Starship flight tests earlier this year. Authorities, including Fox 26 Houston and KRGV news, have reported no injuries, with Brownsville Fire Department crews responding to the scene.
The flight test for Ship 36 would have utilized SpaceX’s “V2” Starship design, which Elon Musk stated in 2023 “holds more propellant, reduces dry mass and improves reliability.” SpaceX is also developing a new “V3” design, with Musk having previously suggested a launch rate of once a week for this version within approximately 12 months.
