Fire and Fury at Boca Chica: Starship Devoured by Fiery Blast
A towering Starship upper-stage came apart late Wednesday in a ferocious dual-step blast that hurled debris across SpaceX’s seaside Starbase complex in South Texas, instantly derailing the company’s plan to send the craft on its tenth attempt toward orbit by month’s end.
The Timeline of the Catastrophe
- 22:03 CDT – SpaceX begins liquid oxygen and methane loading for an expected static-fire test.
- 22:39 CDT – A first bright flash erupts near the nose cone.
- 22:40 CDT – A second, even larger explosion tears through the mid-body, shredding the stainless-steel vehicle within seconds.
Cameras maintained by LabPadre and other ground observers captured the moment as orange flames ripped skyward, the roar heard kilometers away in the nearby hamlets.
Eyes on Safety
Starbase’s automated safety protocols activated immediately. The blast occurred in a cleared exclusion zone, leaving no injuries among ground crews and no imminent danger to civilians downwind, per an X update from SpaceX. Residents were advised to steer clear of surrounding roads while technicians sweep for residual hazards.
Musk Points at Nitrogen Tank Rupture
In an overnight message, Elon Musk suggested investigation already points to a high-pressure nitrogen line that gave way during pressurizations—a possible chain reaction that punctured cryogenic tanks and ignited vapor clouds.
The Broader Picture
The obliterated booster-less upper-stage—called Ship 36—is part of an integrated architecture that SpaceX envisions as the backbone for lunar supply runs ahead of NASA’s Artemis campaign. NASA’s near-term hope is a 2026–2027 crewed landing near the Moon’s south pole riding this same rocket family.
A Roller-Coaster Test Record
Over the past 24 months Super Heavy-Starship has taken to the skies nine previous times:
- First trio: catastrophic failures shortly after ignition.
- Flights 4–6: partial successes—fairing separations achieved, yet splashdown lost.
- Flights 7–8: post-separation explosions before engine cut-off.
- May 2024 flight: achieved orbital insertion but disintegrated on re-entry after uncontrolled roll.
With Ship 36 now reduced to twisted scrap metal, teams must wheel out Ship 37—already in the sub-assembly tent—and scramble to recalibrate schedules and regulatory reviews.
What Comes Next
SpaceX intends to publish a thorough anomaly report within the next fortnight. Until then, Boca Chica remains a construction site of urgency and uncertainty, the next launch date now a moving target etched only in red ink and steel shrapnel.
