The 7th launch "served as a reminder that developmental tests, by definition, are unpredictable", reported the press release issued yesterday by SpaceX after the failure of the venture. Starship had successfully lifted off from Starbase in Texas yesterday, January 16, 2025; about twenty minutes later the capsule exploded due to a fire that developed in the rear part of the rocket, but it was possible to recover the Super Heavy booster, the first stage of the Starship system.

In its SpaceX statement, SpaceX stressed that "Starship flew within the designated launch corridor, as is done for all US launches to safeguard people and property on the ground, in the water, and in the air, in anticipation of the possible fallout of debris on Earth". However, "Anyone who believes they may have identified a piece of debris is urged not to attempt to handle or recover it directly. If you do, please contact local authorities or the SpaceX Debris Hotline". This is why, after the incident, the American Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) briefly suspended air traffic in the affected area for safety reasons.

The event coincided with the debut, also yesterday, of Blue Origin in the orbital launch segment with its New Glenn rocket (see AVIONEWS), establishing a new phase in the competition between the two top aerospace companies in the sector, led respectively by Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos.

"As always, success comes from learning, and this flight test will help us improve Starship's reliability as SpaceX seeks to make life multiplanetary. A review of the launch data is already underway as we seek to identify the root cause of this incident. We will conduct a thorough investigation, in coordination with the FAA, and implement corrective actions to drive improvements for future Starship flight tests", the statement said, concluding: "The spacecraft and booster for the eighth flight test have already been built, are undergoing prelaunch testing, and are preparing for flight as we continue a rapid iterative development process to build a fully and rapidly reusable space transportation system".

Below, the launch of the 7th test. It is evident how after the loss of the shuttle, the booster heads back to the launch pad, where it is relocated by two mechanical arms. The video below captures the fallout of debris on Earth: