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SpaceX Starship Explodes After Launch, Disrupting Florida Air Travel
By Ingrid Vasquez
Published on March 6, 2025, 11:24 PM EST
SpaceX’s Starship rocket exploded after liftoff in Texas on Thursday, March 6, leading to temporary flight disruptions at multiple Florida airports.
A live stream of the launch showed the rocket’s engines cutting off approximately eight minutes into the flight, shortly after the booster successfully returned to the tower.
“We just saw some engines go out. It looks like we are losing altitude control of the ship,” SpaceX communications manager Dan Huot explained during the webcast. Moments later, the spacecraft appeared to spin before communication was lost.
FAA Grounds Flights Over Debris Concerns
According to CNN, The Hill, and The New York Times, flights at Miami International Airport, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, and Philadelphia International Airport were delayed due to concerns over space launch debris. Smaller airports serving West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale, and Orlando were also affected, per CNBC.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) responded by activating a “Debris Response Area,” temporarily slowing aircraft outside the zone where space debris was expected to fall. In some cases, flights were held at their departure locations until the situation was under control.
SpaceX and FAA Investigate Incident
Following the explosion, the FAA ordered SpaceX to conduct a “mishap investigation” to determine the cause of the failure.
SpaceX later addressed the incident on X (formerly Twitter), stating, “During Starship’s ascent burn, the vehicle experienced a rapid unscheduled disassembly and contact was lost. Our team immediately began coordination with safety officials to implement pre-planned contingency responses.”
The company emphasized that it would review flight data to determine the root cause of the failure and improve future launches.
“Success comes from what we learn, and today’s flight will offer additional lessons to improve Starship’s reliability,” SpaceX added.
A follow-up statement on SpaceX’s website confirmed that “prior to the end of the ascent burn, an energetic event in the aft portion of Starship resulted in the loss of several Raptor engines,” causing debris to fall within the pre-designated Debris Response Area.
Recurring Issues with Starship
This marks yet another explosion for the Starship program. A previous test flight in January ended in failure, scattering debris over Turks and Caicos.
Following the latest incident, the government of Turks and Caicos released a statement confirming they were in contact with the FAA, SpaceX, and UK authorities. “Post-incident protocols have been engaged,” officials said, assuring the public that steps were being taken to ensure safety.
As of now, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has not publicly commented on the incident.
This revision improves readability, enhances structure, and removes redundancies while keeping all key details intact. Let me know if you’d like further refinements! 🚀