Another SpaceX Starship Tests Ends In A Spectacular Explosion That Rained Debris On Paradise

Elon Musk's rocket maker SpaceX says it is the company that's going to take us to Mars one day, and its Starship craft is meant to be the spaceship that'll take us there. Before then, it's going to have to solve a few key problems with the rockets, however, as they keep exploding in mid-air, littering the Caribbean with debris.

SpaceX launched a test of its Starship rocket in January but the craft broke apart shortly after takeoff and littered the sky with debris, which forced the Federal Aviation Administration to divert flights and left locals to clear up the mess. The next test of the craft was scheduled for Monday, but was delayed after issues with the rocket surfaced. 

Starship finally did lift off Thursday, but despite a positive start to the test flight it ultimately met a similarly spectacular end. In the process, the rocket once again covered the sky with burning space debris.

SpaceX launched its eighth Starship test flight from its spaceport in Texas yesterday evening. The initial stage of the launch went well, with the rocket booster even returning to the launch pad where it was captured for re-use by SpaceX, reports the Guardian.

Problems arose on the rocket's upper stage, however, where engines began shutting down one by one. A SpaceX livestream of the launch showed the craft spinning in space, before video cut out and the company confirmed it had lost contact with the ship.

The next thing onlookers saw was another dramatic explosion in the sky above, with debris once again lighting up the skies like a scene from a sci-fi flick. The explosion marks the second consecutive failure for Starship, which is the biggest, most powerful rocket ever built.

Shots of the exploding rocket were shared on social media, and it looked spectacular. The scenes were a stark reminder of the last time a SpaceX craft exploded, when residents of the Turks and Caicos Islands were left to clean up the debris.

This time, the rocket appears to have exploded in a similar spot, and residents of the Bahamas reported that they were seeking shelter as a result of the falling debris, adds the BBC. No damage to property or injuries were reported as a result of the debris, despite the alarming images of fiery debris falling from the sky.

In a statement, SpaceX sought to reassure residents saying that all the debris from the rocket should have "fallen within a pre-planned area," and that the rocket didn't comprise any toxic materials. Residents who find debris have been asked to inform SpaceX.

The falling debris wasn't just a concern for people on the ground, it also led to a response from the Federal Aviation Administration, which is still carrying out an investigation into the last SpaceX explosion.

The disintegration of Starship led to a brief halt of commercial flights out of the Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Palm Beach and Orlando airports because of "space launch debris," the Guardian adds. Flights were also diverted around Turks and Caicos as a result of the spacecraft parts that littered the sky.

As a result of the latest disaster at SpaceX, the FAA launched yet another investigation into Musk's rocket company. The agency said it would require SpaceX to examine what led to the consecutive failure of its craft before it will be cleared to launch another test.