--- title: "Starship Launches First Orbital Attempt, Explodes in Epic Fireball" description: "SpaceX's gigantic Starship prototype spacecraft and Super Heavy booster officially cleared the launch pad, but started spinning, before exploding." date: "2023-04-20" modified: "2023-04-20" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/starship-first-orbital-explodes" categories: - "Space" - "SpaceX" - "Starship" tags: - "SpaceX" - "Starship" - "super heavy booster" - "the digest" --- # Starship Launches First Orbital Attempt, Explodes in Epic Fireball ![SpaceX's gigantic Starship prototype spacecraft and Super Heavy booster officially cleared the launch pad, but started spinning, before exploding.]() *\Image: SpaceX\* ## Cleared the Pad For a hot minute, it looked like SpaceX had done the seemingly impossible. The space company's gigantic Starship prototype spacecraft and Super Heavy booster [officially cleared the launch pad]() this morning at the company's South Texas testing facilities, an epic conclusion to many years of development. It was a spectacular sight, given the sheer size of the rocket. The stainless steel tower lifted off at a slight angle, igniting dozens of Raptor rocket engines at once. But several minutes into its maiden voyage — the stack reached a height of [just over 24 miles]() — the 400-foot tower started spinning uncontrollably and eventually exploded in a huge cloud of gas, likely the result of the [rocket's self-destruct system](). It was a sobering failure for the Elon Musk-led venture. It's still unclear what exactly led to its early demise, but it still was one hell of a test flight — and one that SpaceX can likely learn a lot from. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uouujjgkR3A ## Unscheduled Rapid Disassembly During the [live stream](), SpaceX principal integration engineer John Insprucker referred to the event as an "unscheduled rapid disassembly," a tongue-in-cheek term for an explosion. But there's plenty to be learned from the "anomaly." "This was a developmental test, the first test flight of Starship, and the goal was to gather the data, clear the pad, and go again," he added. "Excitement is guaranteed." SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, however, appeared far less amused during the live stream, and did little to hide his disappointment while blankly staring at the screen ahead of him. Fortunately, the [launch site is still standing](), meaning that SpaceX may be able to try again in the not-so-distant future. Despite the setback, the launch could still set the stage for a new era in space exploration, a proof of concept of a reusable ultra-heavy-launch vehicle that could return humans to the surface of the Moon and even deliver them to Mars. "Welcome to the Starship era, humanity," *Ars Technica*'s Eric Berger [tweeted](). "It began with a bang, as big things often do. The universe awaits." **More on Starship:** *[SpaceX Fails to Launch Mighty Starship]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()