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SpaceX rocket explodes during a test at Texas launch base

A SpaceX Starship rocket, identified as Ship 36, exploded during a static fire test at the company’s Starbase facility in Boca Chica, Texas, late Wednesday night, sending a massive fireball and thick black smoke into the sky. The incident, which occurred around 11 p.m. CT, marked another setback for Elon Musk’s ambitious reusable rocket program, critical to NASA’s Artemis lunar missions and SpaceX’s Mars colonization goals. According to SpaceX’s statement on X, the rocket “experienced a major anomaly” while bolted to the test stand in preparation for its tenth flight test. No personnel were injured, as a safety clear zone was maintained, and the company reported no hazards to nearby communities. Local residents, however, described windows shaking and dishes rattling, with the City of Port Isabel noting potential impacts and urging damage reports, per KRGV. Firefighters were dispatched to contain the blaze, which briefly spread to nearby vegetation.