Starship Test Flight Ends in Midair Explosion, Disrupting Florida Air Traffic
Source: newsbytesapp.com Launch and Immediate Aftermath SpaceX’s latest Starship test flight failed as the spacecraft exploded midair during its ascent on Thursday evening. The mission, which marked the eighth integrated test flight of the Starship megarocket system, was launched from SpaceX’s Starbase facility in South Texas at 5:30 p.m. CT (6:30 p.m. ET). Despite a successful booster recovery, the Starship vehicle was lost, triggering an airborne explosion visible from Florida and the Caribbean. The explosion led to immediate disruptions in air traffic, as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) temporarily halted flights to and from major Florida airports, including Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Palm Beach, and Orlando. The restrictions were lifted by 8 p.m. ET, but lingering delays continued, with flights from Fort Lauderdale and Miami experiencing average delays of 30 and 45 minutes, respectively. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk previously delayed the Starship test flight earlier in the w...