Space X Starship Flight 8 Space X Starship Flight 8
SpaceX's Starship Flight 8 mission lifting-off from Texas SpaceX on X / Live Broadcast Screenshot

KEY POINTS

  • SpaceX said the spacecraft experienced a 'rapid unscheduled disassembly' after lift-off
  • A commercial plane passenger captured the moment the spaceship exploded in space
  • Some X users are concerned the Bahamas ecosystem will suffer the most from the fallen debris
  • The Starship's Flight 7 mission in January had a similar ending, with the spaceship exploding midflight

Elon Musk's SpaceX Starship test flight number eight Thursday night was a spectacle for many and an exciting moment for the space industry, until the Starship rocket exploded midflight, marking the second failed lift-off for the rocket program this year.

The massive spacecraft took off from Texas and minutes later exploded in space, resulting in halted air traffic in parts of Florida by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

The air traffic ban has since been lifted, but the massive explosion and fiery display through dusk skies near South Florida and the Bahamas remains a hot topic on Musk-owned X.

SpaceX Says It Will Conduct an Investigation

While the tech billionaire has been silent in the last few hours following the Starship's explosion, SpaceX has since released a statement, saying it will conduct a thorough investigation into the matter.

SpaceX said in a statement that the Starship spacecraft experienced "a rapid unscheduled disassembly" during its "ascent burn."

"With a test like this, success comes from what we learn, and today's flight will help us improve Starship's reliability," the space company said. It also said it will coordinate with the FAA to "implement corrective actions" that should improve future Starship test flights.

Videos Show Fiery Parts of Starship Falling

Videos spreading on social media show that the spacecraft broke up in space after it began spinning uncontrollably with the engines cut off. The company also said during the livestream that it lost contact with the spaceship.

In one video captured by a commercial plane passenger, flaming pieces of the Starship can be seen gradually falling from space like comets.

Saratoga Toda reported Jonathan Norcross also posted a video of the explosion above the Bahamas. The video showed pieces of fiery debris appearing like a fireworks show.

X Users React to Failed Mission

Weatherman Richard Angwin said the Starship "failure" is yet another example of "Musk's overhyped tech falling apart, literally," adding that it may be time to reconsider his "unchecked influence" and prioritize safety over spectacle.

Blockchain advocate Mary C. Hall said the Bahamas will suffer the biggest brunt from the test flight's failure.

Another user said watching the fiery debris fall from the sky must have been a "terrifying" experience for people who aren't aware of SpaceX and its missions.

There were also others who continued to support Musk and his SpaceX dream. "To be anti-innovation is insane. A future where humanity does not inhabit space is a sad future," said one user.

Another user said it is only through failures that new lessons are learned and another step in the right direction is taken.

Musk has yet to comment on concerns around safety as the public waits for the FAA's initial investigation into the failed test flight.

Notably, the Thursday failure came less than two months after the Starship's seventh test flight also resulted in a midflight explosion. The starship was grounded after the incident, pending an investigation.

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