Posted on 03/07/2025 4:50:47 AM PST by MtnClimber
Debris from a failed SpaceX rocket streaked across the South Florida sky Thursday evening, creating a display that left residents wondering whether they were witnessing a meteor shower or an explosion.
The spectacle came after SpaceX's Starship rocket, which launched from Texas, suffered a failure during ascent, sending fragments into the atmosphere.
Videos flooded social media, showing bright orbs in the sky before an apparent explosion scattered debris, resembling a cluster of shooting stars.
SpaceX confirms failure
In a statement on X, formerly Twitter, SpaceX acknowledged the malfunction, saying, "During Starship's ascent burn, the vehicle experienced a rapid unscheduled disassembly and contact was lost. Our team immediately began coordination with safety officials to implement pre-planned contingency responses."
The company did not provide further details on what caused the failure or whether any debris reached the ground.
Flights temporarily grounded
In South Florida, the fallout from the failed launch extended beyond the sky.
Miami International Airport and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport briefly grounded flights due to the incident, though normal operations resumed later in the evening.
Residents from across South Florida reported witnessing the event, with many mistaking it for a plane crash or a celestial phenomenon.
Wow, two tests in a row have failed.
Does CBS News bother to mention that the superheavy booster was successfully returned to the launch tower and was caught. If not, I wonder why not.
Is this part of the testing of new heat shield options?
How long will every article include “formerly Twitter”? Getting a little redundant, everyone on the planet probably knows this and those that don’t, don’t care.
Twitter was so big for so long that I think they will probably do it for up to a year.
After that, it gets insane :)
OK, it’s insane already :)
Rapid Unscheduled Disassembly.
I love a wry euphemism.
Democrat National Committee could use that one.
Marxist news media clucking over Elon’s “failures.” SpaceX is the only U.S. company capable of getting satellites and people into space. Starliner is in an unmanned development test phase. Failures will occur and improvements implemented to make the system reliable. SeeBS can stick it up their ***.
I was so stoked for both missions yesterday…..bummer.
Indeed. Great observation, lol!
I’m sure this will make angry Dems happy.
However, it is likely that the disaster will be somewhat offset by what SpaceX learns from it. There will be more wins and losses over time, and more incremental advances along the way. Can only imagine what space travel looks like when my kids are my age.
Once is happenstance.
Twice is coincidence.
Three times is enemy action...............
This is sabotage....................
Solution:
TwitterX..................
Whatever, it's not my problem
No, it appears that one of the engines had an explosion which knocked out 3 others and caused it to loose directional control. It started tumbling out of control and they could not get the other engines to restart. There is a video where they show the engine bay and one engine has a long bright red crack before the problems started. Had it made it 20 seconds longer the engines were scheduled to shut down and it probably would have been successful.
I think the euphemism for them is Rapid Unhinged Disassembly.
It is interesting. The stranded astronaut just came out against Biden’s decision to not rescue them earlier.
“ SpaceX’s CEO Elon Musk said he believes the two astronauts were stuck in space for political reasons and he could have rescued them sooner. The astronauts say they believe Musk and have been left in the dark about what really happened”. “ Obviously, we’ve heard some of these different things that have been said,” Wilmore said. “I can tell you at the outset, all of us have the utmost respect for Mr. Musk and obviously, respect and admiration for our president of the United States, Donald Trump.”
Biden is a petty, mean and vile person.
Him and his entire klan...............
You are right Sirius Lee, it’s not your problem nor is it mine, but understand this...when you lose 4 of the 6 engines on the second stage then canard placement is not on the list of possible causes.
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