Starship Test Flight Faces Another Setback, Debris Falls and Disrupts Airspace | WPN World People News

SpaceX conducted the eighth test flight of its Starship rocket on the evening of March 6 (EST), but an accident occurred, causing the vehicle to lose control a few minutes after liftoff and ultimately disintegrate at high altitude. The incident led to disruptions in flight operations at multiple airports.

According to foreign media reports, Starship successfully lifted off from the Boca Chica launch site in Texas, and its first-stage booster was able to return as planned. However, during the second-stage propulsion phase, an anomaly occurred, causing some engines to shut down. The vehicle began to spin and eventually lost communication with the ground. Footage circulating on social media shows rocket debris streaking across the skies over southern Florida and the Bahamas at dusk.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) immediately took action, temporarily shutting down airports in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Palm Beach, and Orlando to ensure aviation safety. This marks the second failure of the Starship program this year, coming just over a month after the last unsuccessful test.

Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX, has expressed hopes that Starship will become a key vehicle for deep-space exploration, helping humans travel to the Moon and Mars. However, repeated technical challenges indicate that the program still faces numerous obstacles.

The test flight was originally scheduled for March 3 (EST) but was canceled during the final countdown due to technical anomalies detected by the team. The launch was rescheduled for March 6 but ultimately ended in failure. SpaceX is currently investigating the cause of the accident and plans to implement further improvements to enhance the stability of future launches.