Overview
- Independent livestreams captured the lower section of Booster 18 buckling around 4:00–4:04 a.m. local time at the Masseys site near Starbase, South Texas.
- SpaceX confirmed an anomaly during a gas‑system pressure test, said no propellant or engines were on the vehicle, reported no injuries, and opened an investigation.
- Post‑event images show a gaping rupture and severe deformation in the liquid‑oxygen tank section, with the booster remaining upright yet widely regarded by observers as a total loss.
- The mishap removes the only completed Block 3 booster, likely shifting work to Booster 19 and delaying cryogenic proof testing, Pad 2 commissioning, and the next Starship flight campaign.
- Early analyses point to a possible COPV‑related failure in a chine that propagated into the LOX tank, though the cause remains unconfirmed pending SpaceX’s findings.