Starship Explosions Show SpaceX No Longer Defying Gravity

Any surviving debris would have fallen within the pre-planned Debris Response Area,

the company said in a post-flight statement

A return to flight operations of the vehicle-type involved in the mishap is ultimately based on public safety,

he said in an email

With a test like this, success comes from what we learn, and today's flight will help us improve Starship's reliability. We will conduct a thorough investigation, in coordination with the FAA, and implement corrective actions to make improvements on future Starship flight tests."

SpaceX said in a statement on its website

We've got a lot of measures in place, like debris response areas, where we coordinate very closely with air traffic control. We have a lot of measures put (in place) before we ever launch a rocket to make sure that we're keeping the public safe. Those worked last time and they're actively in work right now."

Dan Huot, SpaceX communications manager, said on the livestream, as reported by CNN

We will review the data from today’s flight test to better understand root cause,

according to the company owned by Elon Musk

We eventually had to go back to Miami. Wow,

Peck continued

They’re trying to handle customers, but I think it’s gonna be a long process to get to where we’re going,

the exasperated traveler told NBC South Florida

After all my years of traveling, this is a first,

wrote a Facebook user who identified himself as pharmaceutical executive Ray Peck after his flight to South America was forced to land in Miami

Our airport is currently under a Ground Stop due to space launch debris in the area,

the airport wrote on X at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday

We saw the Starship 8 breakup in the upper atmosphere and fall back to Earth from the ISS.”

The Expedition 72 Flight Engineer said

During Starship’s ascent burn, the vehicle experienced a rapid unscheduled disassembly and contact was lost,

SpaceX said

Just saw Starship 8 blow up from our flight,

wrote the X user DegenZee, sharing the video

I think it's pretty obvious we're not going to continue the rest of the mission today,

a SpaceX's Dan Huot said

We are taking cover here in the Ragged Islands, Bahamas,

one local said