‘Major Anomaly’ Behind Latest SpaceX Starship Explosion

SpaceX's latest Starship rocket, designated Ship 36, exploded during a ground test at the company's Starbase facility in South Texas late Wednesday night. The explosion occurred shortly after the vehicle was loaded with super-cold methane and liquid oxygen propellants in preparation for a static fire test of its six Raptor engines. SpaceX described the incident as a "major anomaly" involving a high-pressure nitrogen tank, or composite overwrapped pressure vessel (COPV), inside the payload bay. Preliminary data suggests this nitrogen COPV failed below its proof pressure under conditions that should not have caused damage, marking a potential first failure of this design. All personnel were evacuated safely, and local authorities responded to the scene. The blast, visible and felt up to 30 miles away, dealt a significant setback to SpaceX's Starship program, which has faced multiple prototype losses during testing since 2020. The explosion also disrupts operations at Massey's Test Site, the only facility where SpaceX conducts proof