SpaceX Starship Rocket Explodes in Fiery Setback to Musk’s Mars Mission SpaceX’s ambitious Mars-bound spacecraft, Starship, erupted into a dramatic fireball during a test in Texas late Wednesday, marking yet another hurdle for Elon Musk’s deep space program. The explosion occurred shortly after liftoff at the company's Boca Chica testing site, with live footage capturing the moment the massive rocket disintegrated midair. The test was part of ongoing development for Starship, a fully reusable spacecraft designed to transport humans and cargo to the Moon, Mars, and beyond. While SpaceX has seen prior prototypes suffer similar fates, this latest incident underscores the technical challenges still facing the program. Despite the failure, SpaceX emphasized that such tests are essential for advancing the rocket’s design. “We learn from each launch,” the company said in a statement, noting that the data gathered will help improve future models. This development comes amid growing pressure on SpaceX to meet timelines set under NASA’s Artemis program, which involves using Starship to land astronauts on the Moon by late 2026. The incident has temporarily dimmed hopes of an imminent Mars mission, a long-term goal Musk has repeatedly championed. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has confirmed it will oversee an investigation into the failure.