• A SpaceX Starship prototype exploded during a routine test at Starbase, Texas.
• No injuries were reported, and all personnel are accounted for.
• The incident raises questions about future test flights.
• SpaceX has stated there are no hazards to nearby communities.
• Video footage shows two major explosions during the test.

A SpaceX Starship prototype designated Ship 36 exploded during a routine static fire test at the company’s Starbase facility in Texas on June 18. The explosion, which occurred around 11 p.m. CT, resulted in a massive fireball and plumes of thick smoke, leading to an urgent response from local officials, according to Indiatimes and HuffPost.

SpaceX confirmed in a statement that the incident was due to a "major anomaly" during the test, assuring that all personnel were safe and accounted for, effectively maintaining a safety perimeter throughout the operation. The company emphasized that nearby communities were not at risk, and advised individuals to avoid the area while operations to stabilize the site continued, as per reports from NPR and CBS News.

The incident is part of a series of recent setbacks for SpaceX as it prepares for its tenth flight test. Elon Musk's company has faced similar challenges in the past, with earlier flights often ending in explosion. Each incident, while costly, provides critical data for improving the design and safety of the Starship, which aims to facilitate future missions to the Moon and Mars, according to Indiatimes and CBS News.