SpaceX's Booster 18, the first of its third-generation Super Heavy boosters, suffered significant damage during early testing at a site near Starbase, Texas. The incident occurred early on Friday morning, halting the initial phases of cryogenic propellant loading and pressurization tests. This setback comes as the company aims to accelerate Starship development for key missions.
SpaceX rolled out Booster 18 from its factory at Starbase, Texas, on Thursday, marking the start of testing for the next-generation Starship first stage. The massive rocket was transported a few miles to Massey's Test Site, where engineers planned to evaluate its redesigned propellant systems and structural strength. According to a company post on X, the first operations focused on these critical tests before advancing to a static fire of its 33 upgraded Raptor engines.
Testing began Thursday night but encountered a major issue pre-dawn on Friday, November 21, 2025. An independent video captured an explosive or possibly implosive event at 4:04 a.m. CT (10:04 UTC), affecting the lower half of the booster where the large liquid oxygen tank is located. Post-incident images revealed substantial damage, including crumpling to the tank section, leading to the likely loss of the vehicle. Booster 18 never reached the engine ignition phase.
This failure, while less destructive to infrastructure than a June incident involving a Starship upper stage, represents a significant hurdle for SpaceX. The Version 3 booster incorporates numerous design upgrades to enhance reliability and performance over prior iterations. Starship's first launch occurred in 2023, with the first stage achieving a successful flight two years ago.
The program faces ambitious goals, including demonstrating booster landing and reuse, catching an upper stage with the launch tower next year, deploying operational Starlink satellites, and supporting NASA's Artemis missions. A key milestone is an on-orbit refueling test slated for the second half of 2026, paving the way for a crewed lunar landing in late 2028. Neither SpaceX nor Elon Musk had commented on the incident hours after it occurred. The company's history of rapid failure analysis suggests engineers are already reviewing data to address the issue.