SpaceX’s Starship Explodes Minutes Into Launch
SpaceX’s Starship exploded minutes into launching its first uncrewed test flight Thursday morning. The rocket began to spin in the air shortly after its liftoff from a launchpad in South Texas early Thursday morning. The spaceship that was stacked on top of the booster did not separate from it. Flames erupted from the engines installed on the booster, and the vehicle then exploded. A company tweet stated that the Starship experienced a “rapid unscheduled disassembly,” which is industry jargon for an explosion. Founder and CEO Elon Musk downplayed expectations prior to the launch, expressing concerns over the rocket's engine and heavy booster. Musk stated in a tweet on Thursday that the company learned a lot from the launch and would attempt another flight in a few months.