For a company that prides itself on pushing the boundaries in space exploration, SpaceX just hit another major roadblock—literally. The highly anticipated test flight of its Starship mega rocket ended in disaster (again) after controllers lost contact with the upper-stage vehicle just minutes into the launch.

This marks Starship’s second consecutive failure, raising serious questions: What’s causing these explosions? Has this happened before? And what is SpaceX doing to fix it?

Let’s break it all down.

Why Did This Happen?

According to an NBC News report, the launch kicked off with promise. Near Brownsville, Texas, on Thursday, March 6, at 6:30 p.m. ET, Starship blasted off from SpaceX’s Starbase for its eighth test, soaring toward the skies with the power and spectacle you’d expect from the world’s most advanced rocket. But then—like déjà vu—disaster struck just over eight minutes in.

Live video showed the upper-stage vehicle spinning uncontrollably, and within seconds, communication was lost. According to SpaceX, the failure was caused by an “energetic event” in the rocket’s aft portion, leading to multiple Raptor engine shutdowns, a loss of control, and, ultimately, a total blackout.

As if that wasn’t dramatic enough, airports across Florida had to halt flights due to falling debris. The FAA quickly issued a “Debris Response Area” warning, ensuring no aircraft entered hazardous airspace. Meanwhile, people in Jamaica, Florida, and Turks and Caicos posted videos of mysterious streaks of fire cutting across the night sky.

Thankfully, no reported injuries or major damage occurred, but SpaceX was once again left to figure out what went wrong.

Was This the First Time SpaceX Had Trouble?

This was not the first time SpaceX faced challenges. A similar setback occurred just two months ago.

On January 16, SpaceX’s seventh Starship test suffered a nearly identical failure. Again, communication was lost around eight minutes in, and the vehicle exploded over the Caribbean. The result? Debris rained down over Turks and Caicos, though local authorities confirmed no significant impact.

After the January explosion, the FAA launched an investigation into the failure. In response, SpaceX made a series of upgrades, including better ventilation in the “attic” section of Starship, where the previous fire had occurred. But based on Thursday’s disaster, those fixes clearly weren’t enough.

What’s SpaceX Doing To Fix It?

SpaceX isn’t giving up, but they’ve got serious work ahead.

The company released a statement confirming it will conduct a full-scale investigation in coordination with the FAA.

Via its website, SpaceX has committed to implementing corrective actions to improve future Starship flight tests, such as installing additional vents and a new purge system utilizing gaseous nitrogen.

Despite the failures, there was one small win. The Super Heavy booster, the first stage of the Starship launch system, successfully landed back at its launch site, marking the third successful catch maneuver. This is a crucial part of SpaceX’s long-term goal of making Starship a fully reusable system.

However, reusability is useless if the rocket keeps blowing up before reaching orbit. That’s why SpaceX will likely redesign critical flight components before attempting another test. The company prides itself on failing and fixing fast, but two major test failures in a row raise concerns about whether it can pull off its ambitious plans.

What’s At Stake?

Starship isn’t just another SpaceX experiment—it’s a key part of NASA’s future.

NBC further reports that NASA has tapped SpaceX to carry astronauts to the Moon for the Artemis III mission, scheduled for 2027. If Starship keeps failing, that timeline could face significant delays. And let’s not forget SpaceX CEO Elon Musk’s dream of colonizing Mars—which, at this rate, seems like a distant dream

The next test flight run will be a make-or-break moment for Starship. Can SpaceX fix its flaws before NASA and the public start losing faith? Only time—and a whole lot of engineering—will tell.

The race to space continues for now, but for SpaceX, the road ahead looks rockier than expected.