An explosion has been captured at SpaceX’s Starbase facility in Texas, where Elon Musk’s company is preparing to launch its Starship craft in a critical test of the world’s largest rocket.
SpaceX was reportedly performing a deluge test, which involves shooting water at the base of the rocket to counter the massive flames during launch.
The incident was captured by a livestream broadcast by NASASpaceflight, showing a large plume and a piece of debris flying hundreds of metres into the air.
“During a deluge test today, what seems to be an explosive event was observed in the deluge farm followed by the deluge shutting down,” the news organisation wrote in a post to X.
The Independent has reached out to SpaceX for more information about the explosion, and whether it will impact the launch preparations for Starship.
During a deluge test today, what seems to be an explosive event was observed in the deluge farm followed by the deluge shutting down.
— StarbaseTracking (@TrackingTheSB) May 3, 2026
📸https://t.co/GXLJIx8VoE | @NASASpaceflight pic.twitter.com/SnCTOvOwYt
No date has been set for the next Starship flight test, though Mr Musk said on 3 April that it was “4 to 6 weeks away”, meaning it could take place any time between now and the 18 May – unless there are delays.
The next test involves an updated ship, booster, and launchpad for what SpaceX describes as “the most powerful object ever made”.
Last month, the company successfully completed a static fire test of its next-generation Starship rocket and Super Heavy booster, which involves firing up the engines while the craft is strapped to the launchpad.
Following the test, SpaceX said “engineers are working to solve one of the most difficult engineering challenges in history: developing a fully, rapidly reusable rocket”.
When stacked together, the Starship craft and Super Heavy booster measure 124 metres in height, and when fully operational will be capable of delivering more than 100 tons to low Earth orbit.
SpaceX has secured a multi-billion dollar deal to develop the rocket for Nasa’s Artemis program, which is aiming to return astronauts to the surface of the moon by 2028.
This date has already suffered several delays, most recently due to issues with Starship’s Human Landing System (SLS).
“Our complicated architecture requires a dozen or more launches in a short time frame, relies on very challenging technologies that have yet to be developed, like cryogenic in-space refueling, and still needs to be human rated,” former Nasa administrator Jim Bridenstine told a Senate Committee hearing in September.
“Unless something changes, it is highly unlikely the United States will beat China’s projected timeline to the moon’s surface.”
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