SpaceX rocket explodes during test flight, causes flight delays at Florida airports

A SpaceX rocket on Thursday exploded during its eighth test flight, prompting the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to ground flights into four airports in Florida.

The explosion occurred just minutes after liftoff in Texas, but the rocket's debris threatened parts of Florida. The FAA grounded flights into Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Palm Beach, and Orlando for possible space launch debris, according to Politico.

“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,” SpaceX posted on X, adding that it will review the data from the explosion.

Thursday's incident marks the second time a SpaceX rocket exploded this year. The first was on Jan. 16, after which the FAA ordered SpaceX to conduct a mishap investigation.

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.