Explosive Missteps: SpaceX's Starship Faces New Challenges Amid Testing

SpaceX's Starship spacecraft has encountered another explosive challenge while undergoing testing in Texas, delivering a dramatic moment late Wednesday night. The latest incident is part of a string of difficulties facing billionaire Elon Musk's ambitious Mars rocket program, casting new doubts on its development timeline.

The explosion happened around 11 p.m. local time at SpaceX's Starbase in Brownsville, Texas, as the Starship was readying for its tenth test flight. The company, in a statement on Musk's social media platform X, cited a 'major anomaly' but assured no personnel were harmed. A Composite Overwrapped Pressure Vessel failure is suspected, marking a first if confirmed.

The Starship, central to Musk's grand vision of Mars colonization, lit up the night sky with two successive bursts, spreading debris. This year alone, the rocket has faced numerous hurdles, with previous tests spinning out of control and causing environmental and safety concerns, prompting FAA investigations and corrective actions.

(With inputs from agencies.)