SpaceX Starship Disintegrates Over Indian Ocean in Third Test Flight Attempt

Report by Safarti Tarjuman International Desk

SpaceX’s highly anticipated Starship rocket test ended in failure once again as the spacecraft disintegrated over the Indian Ocean during re-entry on Tuesday. The launch, conducted from SpaceX’s Starbase facility in Texas, marked the third major test of the world’s most powerful launch vehicle—central to Elon Musk’s long-term goal of Mars colonization.

Lifting off at 6:36 PM local time, the rocket initially appeared to perform better than in previous attempts. However, trouble began shortly after stage separation when the Super Heavy booster exploded instead of executing a controlled splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico.

The upper stage of the rocket—tasked with simulating satellite deployment—then failed to open its bay doors. Soon after, it began leaking and spinning out of control, ultimately breaking apart as it attempted atmospheric re-entry.

SpaceX acknowledged the incident in a post on X, calling it a “rapid unscheduled disassembly”—a term the company often uses for failed missions. Despite the failure, Elon Musk remained optimistic, announcing that SpaceX plans to increase launch frequency to one flight every three to four weeks.

This launch had been cleared just four days earlier by the Federal Aviation Administration, which had conducted a thorough review following two previous failed launches in January and March. Those missions were also cut short when the rockets exploded shortly after liftoff. Tech entrepreneur Joshua Wingate from Austin expressed optimism, stating that “every test provides valuable lessons.”

Although the Starship failed to achieve mission objectives, SpaceX views each flight as an opportunity to refine and improve the rocket’s complex systems. Elon Musk has not confirmed whether he will proceed with a livestreamed presentation on Mars colonization, which had been planned before the launch.