'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAHAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFgABAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQG/8QAFQEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQL/2gAMAwEAAhADEAAAANJCE//EAB8QAAIABQUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEDAAIEBUEGEhMhwf/aAAgBAQABPwC06ns89JVK3kNpZRyArOSB6IbcUBs/WTiP/8QAGREAAgMBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQMAAgQS/9oACAECAQE/AMr7tB6n/8QAGREAAgMBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQMAAgQS/9oACAEDAQE/ANaKKI5n/9k='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Elon Musk's SpaceX starship, launched on Thursday, March 6, 2025, from Texas, exploded shortly after the launch at around 6:30 pm ET. The explosion led to the Federal Aviation Administration to temporarily halt all flights in major airports in Florida, including those at Miami, Palm Beach, Orlando, and Fort Lauderdale.
According to The Guardian, SpaceX cut off its livestream capturing the Mars Rocket Program after the starship began spinning uncontrollably with its engines cut off. The failure came just over a month after the company's previous starship, which was also its seventh flight, exploded.
The 403ft rocket system that had no crew had lifted from the company's Boca Chica, Texas, campus on Thursday. SpaceX confirmed that the system had suffered a "rapid unscheduled disassembly," according to the BBC.
Although the company didn't officially confirm damage to the starship, images of its debris flying across the Caribbean Sea island nations have appeared online.
As soon as netizens saw the images, they took to social media to discuss the failed starship launch, with one person claiming:
The Instagram user was referring to Gayle King confirming last month that she will be a part of Blue Origin’s next flight to space. As per CBS News, the CBS Mornings host will be a part of an all-women mission that is headed to space. The other women include singer Katy Perry, former rocket scientist Aisha Bowe, civil rights activist Amanda Nguyen, film producer Kerianna Flynn, and philanthropist Lauren Sánchez.
Meanwhile, other netizens had similar reactions as many wondered if King was really going into space. Internet users expressed concern over the beloved television host getting on a similar rocket.
Internet users also discussed how Elon Musk was supposedly not equipped to launch starships and be responsible for the management of the FAA. This comes after Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency was accused of firing air traffic controllers by Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy.
The starship took off into space as Musk attempted to build a rocket ship capable of sending bigger batches of satellites and humans to the moon and Mars.
SpaceX releases statement after failed starship mission
The spaceship was set to re-enter the Earth’s orbit over the Indian Ocean following its one-hour flight. However, it exploded, sending debris flying everywhere just moments after its launch.
Following the explosion, SpaceX announced that it was coordinating with safety officials for “pre-planned contingency responses.” The company also stated that it would review data “to better understand [the] root cause” of the blast. SpaceX also noted that the mission, which would be the company’s eighth, failed due to the loss of several engines.
“As always, success comes from what we learn, and today’s flight will offer additional lessons to improve Starship’s reliability," Musk's company stated.
The BBC confirmed that although the Starship exploded into debris, its Super Heavy booster, which helped the Starship get off the ground, managed to return successfully to its launchpad.
SpaceX’s Starship is their most powerful rocket and reportedly is Musk’s key tool in his mission to colonize Mars.
