SpaceX’s Starship spacecraft exploded after launch Thursday night. (Courtesy: @GeneDoctorB / X)
HOG CAY, Bahamas – SpaceX’s Starship rocket exploded Thursday night less than 10 minutes after its launch from Texas, showering debris over the Caribbean and western Atlantic and giving millions of skygazers across Florida and the Caribbean quite the show.
The explosion was caught on camera from a catamaran anchored off Hog Cay in the Bahamas. X user @GeneDoctorB filmed the event and the glittering debris fall that followed:
SpaceX debris over the Bahamas on March 6, 2025.
(@GeneDoctorB / X / FOX Weather)
“Incredible sight here in Bahamas,” @GeneDoctorB said, noting that they took cover after the explosion.
Another incredible scene unfolded over the Bahamas.
SpaceX Starship explodes creating a fiery scene in the night sky.
Johathon Norcross watched the rocket explode into pieces from his perch in the Bahamas.
SpaceX said they were in communication with the FAA over any needed flight diversions, but there were no immediate reports of issues during the moments after contact was lost with the Starship.
“During Starship’s ascent burn, the vehicle experienced a rapid unscheduled disassembly and contact was lost,” SpaceX said in a statement moments after the explosion. “Our team immediately began coordination with safety officials to implement pre-planned contingency responses. We will review the data from today’s flight test to better understand root cause. As always, success comes from what we learn, and today’s flight will offer additional lessons to improve Starship’s reliability.”
The explosion of the SpaceX Spacecraft Thursday night sent fiery debris across the evening sky. This video shows the spectacle from Jamaica. (Courtesy: @tmirza777 / X)
Dozens of flights appeared to have been diverted and airports from Orlando south through West Palm Beach and Miami reported flight delays associated with the event.
The Starship spacecraft is being developed with the long-term goal of carrying astronauts to the Moon and potentially Mars, though SpaceX has not publicly disclosed a timeline for when the rocket will be approved for human space travel.