SpaceX Starship Prototype Breaks Apart in Space, Disrupts Air Travel

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SpaceX’s ambitious test flight of its upgraded Starship prototype failed on Thursday, as the spacecraft broke apart just minutes after liftoff from Texas. The mishap forced flights over the Gulf of Mexico to reroute, marking a rare instance where a SpaceX anomaly disrupted commercial air traffic.

The Starship, carrying a test payload of mock satellites, lost communication with mission control eight minutes after its 5:38 p.m. EST launch. Streaks of fiery debris were later spotted over Port-au-Prince, Haiti, as the upper stage disintegrated. “We lost all communications with the ship, indicating an anomaly with the upper stage,” said SpaceX’s Dan Huot, confirming the loss of the spacecraft shortly after.

The Federal Aviation Administration is assessing the situation, as the fallout caused at least 20 commercial flights to divert or adjust their paths. Miami International Airport witnessed the temporary grounding of some flights as a precaution.

Despite the setback, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk remained optimistic, sharing a video of the debris field with a humorous note: “Success is uncertain, but entertainment is guaranteed!”

This failure marks a significant challenge for Musk’s Starship program, designed for Mars exploration and satellite deployment, but also a testament to SpaceX’s test-to-failure approach to pushing technological boundaries.

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