Cosmic Crashdown: SpaceX Starship Explodes, Bringing Air Travel to a Standstill

SpaceX's Starship rocket exploded on its eighth test flight on March 6, 2025, showering the Caribbean with debris. The explosion took place approximately nine minutes after takeoff when the spacecraft started spinning out of control because of engine malfunctions. The explosion caused the FAA to issue ground stops at multiple Florida airports, including Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, and Palm Beach, that lasted more than an hour. Flights had average delays of 45 minutes, with diversions occurring. This is the second consecutive failure of SpaceX's Starship program this year, after a similar failure in January. The FAA has opened an investigation and grounded additional Starship flights pending the outcome.
Source: Reuters